The power of a story: The Snail and the Whale

Painting by Junior J, and writing by Lil J, after watching the production. 

Stories are amazing things. They connect people. They sometimes give hope, or inspiration. They can also let you travel the world, without you having to leave your own room! Which is the case in "The Snail and the Whale", a production by Tall Stories in conjunction with KidsFest 2017.

This production is based on the picture book of the same name by author Julia Donaldson, and in it, we see how a father tells this story to his little girl. He has to go off to sea as he is in the Navy, but the story connects him to his daughter across the waters. He records it while he is out at sea, and sends it to her to listen. The two stories are intertwined together, where the spunky daughter imagines herself to be the snail that is going on adventures, while the father is the whale, brave and reliable. The stories are narrated through the grown-up version of the little girl, which helps to tie up the two stories together.

We had the opportunity to watch "The Snail and the Whale" yesterday evening, and the kids and I throughly enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised by this stage adaptation of the book. I had the impression it would just be a direct adaptation with lots of under the sea props, but I was so wrong! This story within a story was a delightful approach, and it was heartwarming to see the way the father and daughter played and pretended to go on adventures together. In a sense, it was a reminder to me to enjoy my kids' childhood, and learn to play along with them. It was also meaningful to see how stories can connect parents and children together, and in fact, the idea of having the father record the story was based on a real organisation, Storybook Soldiers, which helps British military personnel record bedtime stories for their children to listen to when they are away. 

The kids also enjoyed the production very much. There were many funny parts, and lots of kidding around between the father and daughter, and the jokes and bantering made them laugh so! Junior J, being older, could catch most of the jokes and was chuckling most of the time, while Lil J also caught on most of the time. They were still repeating some of the funny bits during dinner after the play! Small J was a little lost at times, but he was engaged and sat through the entire show. However, because of the "ping-pong-ing" between the two stories, I felt it might be a little confusing for the younger ones. This production would probably be better appreciated by those aged 5 and up, although I think the slightly younger kids would still enjoy it. It would also be great to read the story with the kids first, before watching this.

The cast was stellar. Tim Hibberd, who acted as the father, was engaging, and really funny (Junior J kept repeating his jokes!), and he and Amy Tobias were a great match for the father-daughter pair. But I was most impressed with Charlotte Mafham, who not only did the narration, but also played the viola for the music accompaniment for the production. From what I read, all the music and sound effects (from the blowing of the ships horns to the rumbling of speed boats) were all produced LIVE on stage using a single viola paired with a microphone and repeat pedal. Which meant that Ms. Mafham not only had to act, sing and narrate, but play the viola and produce all the sound effects! Impressive or what?

I remember the warm fuzzy feeling I had the first time I read the book, because it was such a lovely story about friendship, bravery, and daring to venture beyond our comfort zones. I had that same feeling when I walked out of the theatre after watching this production. All in all, I would say go catch this with your kids, especially your older ones! You can book your tickets here, and details are as follows (it's only playing this weekend, so go go go!):

Dates: Thu (9th Feb) - Sun (12th Feb)

Times: Various timeslots (click here from more details and timeslots)

Venue: KC Arts Centre (20 Merbau Road, Robertson Quay, Singapore 239035) 

Disclaimer: We were kindly sponsored tickets to this production for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own. The photos used in this post are courtesy of KidsFest. 

Weekend Wanderings: Charlotte's Web

Last weekend we brought the boys to watch Charlotte's Web, while my dad helped me to babysit Baby J. I had really looked forward to catching the play with the kids, since Charlotte's Web is one of my favourite books (but one that never fails to make me cry every time I read it!). This stage adaptation of the book by E.B. White didn't disappoint, and managed to bring to life the story of Wilbur the pig and his unlikely friendship with Charlotte the spider. Wilbur is saved from going under the butcher's knife by the ingenuity of Charlotte, who spins messages on her web to praise Wilbur. The story is a wonderful reminder of how true friendship transcends any of our differences, and always protects and seeks to serve, and I really enjoyed the play by The Little Company.

The cast was stellar, and I was quite amazed at how effortlessly they juggled all the characters in the story between the six of them. Sharda Harrison was wonderful as Charlotte, with her acrobatics and acting (although I found her striped get-up a little distracting).

The hubby especially liked the character of Templeton, who was played by Dwayne Lau. He brought to life the rat's calculative and greedy nature perfectly!

The kids and I loved the farm animals: Wilbur the pig (by Ann Lek), Gander (by Ivan Atienza), Goose (by Ethel Yap) and Sheep (by Matheus Ting). Each played their role so well, and the geese especially made me smile with their quirky characters!

Junior J and Lil J enjoyed the play tremendously, since they were familiar with the story (I had previously read the book to them). Small J, though quiet throughout the play, got rather restless nearing the last twenty minutes. I would say that this play is more suited for those five and up, since the humour and dialogue are more complex, and there is no singing and dancing involved. Also, I think it would be great to read the book with the kids before attending the play, to allow the kids to have a better appreciation of the story.

All in all, I'd say get those tickets if you have kids five and above!

Details for the play are as follows:
Date: Fri, 28 Oct - Sun, 11 Dec 2016
Time: Weekends & Public Holiday : 11am & 2pm
Weekdays : 10am, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm
Venue: KC Art Centre - Home of SRT

You can purchase your tickets here on Sistic. Do note that discounts apply for family packages as well as Three Little Pigs ticket stub holders.

Disclaimer: We were kindly sponsored tickets for purpose of this review. All production photos were obtained from the Singapore Repertory Theatre's FB page. No monetary compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

All Things Felt: Heartfelt crafts from Nepal (and our cosy corner)

We have an attic, which is currently serving as our homeschooling room. Usually I try to school Junior J and Lil J together at their desks, while the younger two are playing at the side. I've been trying to make the play area cosy for the little ones, so recently I set up a little corner for the kids.

The tent was a lightweight one that I purchased months back from Cotton On Kids, while the cushion was from Typo. I planned to get a rug for that area, since it makes it so much more comfortable for the kids, especially the baby who is crawling and sometimes still topples over. I am not a fan of foam playmats, and the younger kids tend to yank at the pile on carpets, so both were a no-no for me. I happened to chance across these gorgeous felt ball rugs over at All Things Felt while browsing Instagram, and decided that this was IT.  

I contacted Divya to find out more about those lovely rugs in her little shop. Divya hails from Nepal but is currently staying in Singapore. Her story was a most heart-warming one: All Things Felt was set up in the wake of the Nepal earthquake in 2015, to share the beauty of handmade felt products. Her business seeks to empower women by preserving these artisanal skills, while providing work for them.

Source: All Things Felt FB page

Her shop stocks various felt products, ranging from garlands, wreaths (perfect for the upcoming festive season), to puppets and baby mobiles. However, the felt ball rugs are probably the stars in the shop, as you can customize them into any colour combination you want, and there is a huge range of colours to choose from.

Source: All Things Felt FB page

Imagine the possibilities! 

Source: All Things Felt FB page

Source: All Things Felt FB page

I chose my colours with some advice from Divya. She informed me that it would take 3 weeks or so to make the rug, as the process is a long and tedious one. I was happy to wait (but do note the production time if you are thinking of ordering one as a gift for Christmas!), and the wait was worthwhile because it came exactly as how I pictured it. 

I love the colours, and how wonderfully textured and inviting this rug is to little hands. The felt balls are sewn securely together, and this rug is very comfortable. The baby loves sitting here to play, and it is reassuring to know that the dyes that are used to colour the felt are non-toxic. 

This rug doesn't slip easily since it is heavy. However, if you find that it does slide about, using a non-slip layer underneath solves the problem. I was a little alarmed initially, as I noticed that there was a fine layer of dust under the rug each time I lifted it. However, Divya reassured me that this was just soap silt from the felt-making process, and that this problem resolves with time. And indeed, there is no more dust underneath, now that the rug has been laid out for two weeks. 

One point to note though if you decide to get one of these: ensure that you keep a sharp eye out for non-potty trained toddlers, as well as toys with velcro on them (such as play food that you can cut). The former might have an accident on the rug, while the latter tends to stick and damage the felt. That aside, we are loving this rug! These rugs cannot be washed, but can be wiped clean or gently vacuumed.

I was intrigued by Divya's story, as well as the process that goes into making these felt ball crafts, so I thought I'd let her share more:

Jus: Hello Divya! I would love to introduce you to my readers. Are you local? How do you like staying in Singapore?

Divya: Singapore has been home for two years now, but I’m originally from Nepal. I grew up there, but moved to India to study when I was 13. I then went on to work in Mumbai, India, before shifting to Singapore. Singapore, in many ways is very similar to Mumbai, where I’ve lived for seven years in the past, and that is one of the many reasons I love staying here!

Jus: How did All Things Felt come about? Could you share with us some background to your little shop?

Divya: The Nepal earthquake in 2015 saw the world come together to help its people stand back on their feet. With help pouring in from all directions, I decided to do my bit. With firm belief in the craft and the wide variety of the products that could draw consumers in Singapore, I hope to open a new door for the artisans of my country. I see this is a sustainable way of assisting the artisans, who are mostly women. Nepal, with its snow-capped mountains, idyllic rivers and streams, pagoda-style temples, intricately terraced rice and paddy fields and market courtyards, has a timeless atmosphere that is simply captivating. 

With the intent of bringing the splendour of the Nepalese hillsides to homes in Southeast Asia, All Things Felt hopes to touch more lives with the magic of its products. Various kinds of handicraft are a reflection of a nation wrapped in various ethnicities and cultures. Production of handicraft is an age-old practice in Nepal. Handicraft—both textile (pashmina, hemp, silk, felt, etc.) and non-textile (silver, handmade paper, wood, ceramics, etc.)—is an important source of foreign exchange for this otherwise poor country. Each handicraft weaves with itself a beautiful story—one in which the artisan is taught with utmost precision and love the art of making by one of their own. 

Nepal is also largely a patriarchal society in which women are disadvantaged. Traditionally, women from poor families in Nepal do not have access to formal education, and are often marginalised and vulnerable to domestic abuse. Through All Things Felt, we endeavour to empower these women through the preservation of traditional handicraft skills and culture. The fact that we are able to help women in our small way to earn an income, educate their children and to feel more confident in their abilities is what excites and encourages us the most. 

Jus: I love how your shop endeavours to help these Nepalese women, and keep these artisanal skills alive! I know these rugs are works of art and require many hours of labour. Could you share more about the process of making these rugs so we can better appreiciate the work that goes into each one? 

Divya: Felt is a matted mass of sheep’s wool. Most craft producers in Nepal import the wool from New Zealand. The wool is first carded. Carding is a mechanical process that disentangles the wool fibre to produce a continuous web or sliver suitable for subsequent processing. Carded wool is then dyed into a myriad of different colours. The dyes used are non-toxic and free of chemicals. Unlike industrial chemical processing used to create most felts, most producers in Nepal—us included—use a technique called "wet felting", wherein using friction and soapy water, the natural wool fibre is matted, condensed and pressed to create the material. After the wool is dyed, our artisans make individual felt balls using soap and hot water. The felt balls are rolled until they are roughly 2 cm in diameter. Once done, the artisans put the balls in cold water and rinse them, after which these are dried in the sun. Once completely dry, they are ready to be sewn together to make the rugs. This is the most complex and time-consuming task. The workshop we work with employs only women who work in small groups of friends and families and can opt to work from home. The flexible nature of the work provides a great option for young mothers, allowing them to care for their little ones and families and at the same time earn a livelihood.

Jus: It's great that your workers are able to care for their families while producing these crafts! Could you share your dream for your little business? 

Divya: All Things Felt believes that happiness is handmade. We bring the colour and vibrancy of the hills of Nepal right to your doorstep. We want to create more awareness around the gorgeous felt products and make them more known in Southeast Asia. Not only because we want to help our lovely artisans generate more income, but because we honestly believe in the magic of our products. We hope to bring a little bit of our home to yours.

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Thank you so much for sharing, Divya! Looking at how much work goes into each rug really made me appreciate mine so much more. And I loved how these handicrafts empower women and mothers and allow them to earn a livelihood, while still giving them the flexibility to care for their families. 

If you are interested in learning more, please visit their Facebook Page or Instagram account to view the products that are available, or you can drop Divya an email at allthingsfelt.sg@gmail.com. That aside, All Things Felt would be showcasing their products over at the Boutiques Fair on 4th Nov (0900-2000 hrs) and 5th Nov (1000-2000hrs), at the F1 Pit Building, so you can also pay them a visit this weekend!

Disclaimer: We were sponsored this lovely rug for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own. 

Everything's coming up roses: JM Floral Creation subscription service

When I was young, I wished that I could be admitted to hospital one day, so that people would buy flowers, chocolates and cake for me. But of course, I hoped that whatever I was warded for wasn't something serious! I guess it came from reading all the books that showed these little girls getting loads of presents when they had to go to the hospital (It brings to mind the book Madeline!). Crazy, I know. 

Since then, I've definitely outgrown that irrational hope. After all, there are far nicer circumstances to receive flowers, chocolates and cake! However, I've been warded a couple of times, such as after the delivery of all four kids. And yes, there were flowers (but usually no chocolate or cake) each time. I guess people buy flowers for those resting in hospital, because they are able to bring such cheer and loveliness into any room!

I was contacted by Joyce from Ji Mei Flower to see if I was keen to review their flower subscription service. JM Floral Creation is a subsidiary of Ji Mei Flower, that handles events such as weddings. They recently launched this service, where you can get a bouquet of fresh flowers sent to you on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Fresh blooms every week? Without having to stay in hospital? Of course I said yes!

To keep the service affordable, subscribers are not allowed to choose the type of flowers they want. However, this means you get a pleasant surprise each time the Ji Mei delivery truck comes by! For the first delivery, a complimentary jar is provided for your flowers, along with a packet of flower "food" which helps to preserve the freshness of the blooms for a longer period of time. A sheet with helpful tips on how to care for your flowers is also provided. Subsequent bouquets are cut to fit the jar, but all bouquets are wrapped, which means you can also choose to use the bouquet as a gift.

It was a really convenient way of bringing some beauty into the home: all you have to do is to remove the wet cotton wool, wrapping and tape, and put the blooms in the jar! There is no having to struggle with cutting stems, while getting pricked by thorns in the process (which is what used to happen to me). 

Having the folk at Ji Mei do the flower selection also means that you get unique bouquets each time. While they incorporated classic favourites, such as roses, in their arrangements...

... each bouquet usually had something unconventional and special too, such as a lush protea,  or even delicate Phalaenopsis orchids paired with pink hydrangea. I have always pictured these so called moth orchids as tabletop decor, and never would have thought of including them in a bouquet!

Joyce shared that their team tries to innovate when it comes to these floral arrangements, which result in such unique combinations. That aside, I loved how they incorporated some foliage as well, some of which I could dry and use in the future when making wreaths (such as these eucalyptus leaves). Flower arrangement is both an art and a science, and it was interesting to see how some of the bouquets were planned to "grow" and bloom across the week, such as the lilies, which filled our bedroom with such a lovely scent!

I had a quick chat with Joyce, who is an events consultant with JM Floral Creation, to find out more about the team behind these gorgeous bouquets. She usually suggests the preferred combination of flowers, and the team of flower arrangers would then get down to work, each adopting their own style to prepare the bouquets. She shares that she loves flowers and plants, so her job fits her to a T, allowing her to be hands-on about something that she has a passion for. The team get a fair bit of their inspiration online, and rely on their customers' trust to be able to try new arrangements or combinations.

And speaking of passion, these weekly floral surprises have been most welcomed by Lil J, who simply loves flowers. He would rush to the door to take the flowers from my hands, and would spend the next few minutes inspecting the blooms. We caught him even trying to put pollen up his nose! Small J, though a little less enthusiastic, always tells me "you have new flowers Mama, they are boo-tiful!". 

Having fresh blooms in the house adds colour and cheer, and the subscription service takes all the work out of your hands. All you have to do is change the water in the vase every other day. Thank you, JM Floral Creation, for helping to brighten up our home the past month!

For those who are interested, the subscription service is priced at $50 and $65 per bouquet for the standard and premium range of flowers respectively, and this includes delivery charges. The minimum subscription period is for four bouquets, and depends on whether you opt for a weekly, fortnightly or monthly subscription. For more details, or to start a subscription, please contact JM Floral Creation at 69225919 or  email them at florals@jm.com.sg. Alternatively, visit this page, and you can hop over to "The J Babies" to read their review and admire the beautiful blooms they received!

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The lovely folks over at JM Floral Creation are kindly giving away floral subscriptions (of two weeks) worth $100 each, to two readers of this blog! To enter, please scroll down and follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below. Do note that you need to like and comment on the FB post as part of the entry requirements, and that both bouquets in the subscription must be sent to the same address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: We were sponsored a flower subscription for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Three lessons from the Three Little Pigs

The three boys and I went to watch "The Three Little Pigs" over the weekend. I think the musical needs no introduction, since it's been shared and reviewed by many others (you can read this one for a more details, as well as useful tips). The show is an adaptation of the classic fairy tale, with songs and lots of local flavour thrown in. Produced by the Singapore Repertory Theatre's The Little Company, the show was a throughly enjoyable experience! 

The kids really loved the show, and it's not hard to see why. The songs were catchy, and had us tapping our feet and humming along (this is the first time our kids have watched it, and I've been hearing them sing certain refrains at home). There was so much humour and local flavour injected in, from the names of the little pigs (Cha, Siu and Bao), to the use of local terms ("So malu!", "Lim Kopi" etc), which had us laughing through the entire show. 

While recommended for children three and above, the show was witty enough to keep even the adults entertained, yet wasn't too overstimulating for the senses. I admit that I tend to get headaches after attending children's productions from all the noise and sensory overload, but I didn't in this case, and really enjoyed it. 

The acting was great too, and the performance put up by all four pigs (Andrew Lua as Cha, Ethel Yap as Siu, Benedict Hew as Bao, and Candice de Rozario as Mother Pig) was stellar. Ivan Chan was simply fantastic playing the Wolf, and he really engaged with the audience and literally had us howling with laughter! (However, his appearance did scare some of the very young ones in the audience, and Small J ended up in my lap for half the show, but hey, he's supposed to be the Big Bad Wolf right?) 

However, good acting and funny script aside, I think what I most appreciated about the show were the little lessons that we could glean from it (and discuss with the kids after the show), that:

:: Family always sticks together: 

Throughout the show, you see the three little pigs squabbling and teasing each other. You see the classic "older brother trying to annoy the little brother" scene being played out (I gasped seeing Cha use his arm to hook Bao's neck, because that was such a familiar sight in my home with the boys!), and two older pigs are always teasing Bao for reading too much. But when trouble comes, you see the pigs helping each other, and that is what saves their skins in the end. Mother Pig also drives home the point, always reminding her three offspring to stick together as family. I think the boys could identify with the three pigs (poor Small J is always crying because his older brothers tease him so!), and I loved the reminder that even despite all these sibling conflicts, we can always count on family no matter what.  

:: Being kind pays off, even though it may seem counter-intuitive:

In the entire show, we have the three pigs trying to escape from the Wolf, but there was no talk about revenge (as their father was previously eaten by the wolf) or trying to get back at the wolf. In fact, the pigs were actually kind to the Wolf, offering him a handkerchief to blow his nose, after he was sneezing from blowing down Siu's house of straw, and warning him not to come down the chimney because he would burn himself! (But it turned out to be reverse psychology, since the Wolf assumed they were bluffing.) I thought that was a good reminder to always be kind. (And no, being kind is not equivalent to being a doormat. After all, the pigs did their utmost to protect themselves!)

:: We are all unique, with our own strengths and weaknesses:

Bao was incessantly teased for being a bookworm, but it was his brains that saved the day. The three little pigs were so different in character and temperament, yet we saw how they worked together and complemented each other in the family. It reminded me about my own three little boys, and how unique each of them were. I admit I sometimes have difficulty grasping how different they are, and I am tempted to use the same methods to teach and train each child (for example, I recently discovered how the boys approach learning to read in different ways). Watching the three pigs work on their houses was a reminder that every child is different, and these differences are to be celebrated, though they definitely keep parents on their toes!

All in all, "The Three Little Pigs" is entertaining and funny, and also goes beyond punny remarks to teach some valuable lessons. It's a musical, with morals thrown in. I'd say it's a must watch, if you've not caught it with your kids! 

Showtime details are as follows, and you can book your tickets HERE:

Dates: 4th August to 17th September

Times: Weekdays (10 am), weekends and public holidays (11 am and 2 pm)

Venue: KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT (20 Merbau Road, S239035)

Disclaimer: We received tickets to watch "The Three Little Pigs" for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions (and those three little boys) are my own. 

Home 2.0 Before and After: The master bedroom wall

Hello! We've had many requests for a house tour, but to date we're still unpacking and getting our stuff sorted! I think it's probably going to take a long while, so instead of a final grand tour, I'll periodically be sharing peeks into various parts of our home as we get them done. (Meanwhile, you can follow most of our home updates over on Instagram @justtey.) 

Today, I wanted to show you a part of the master bedroom that I really love. The previous owners of our new home had a fair bit of built-in cabinetry done, and we had to decide which of these we wanted to keep, and which we wanted to demolish (since we didn't have the budget to overhaul everything). The master bedroom featured a walk-in wardrobe that was basically two sets of cupboards built facing each other, with the back of one acting to partition the wardrobe space off from the rest of the bedroom. Essentially (if you can see the lower left picture), the wall facing the bed was covered with a mid-brown tone laminate, along with a built-in cabinet that had some glass doors. The cabinet didn't work for us, since we needed drawer storage for clothes. I didn't like the glass doors too, since they were a hazard with the kids, plus I preferred that the mess inside was concealed. So we opted to hack away the cabinet. 

Now the question was, did we want to just replace the back of the wardrobe with a new sheet of laminate, or did we want to do something else? I thought that laminate didn't look nice, especially if we were to push our existing chest of drawers against the wall. So we decided to explore the idea of using wallpaper instead. 

A friend gave us a contact for a company that sold Korean wallpaper, but we couldn't find anything that we liked. The same friend had recently wallpapered part of her home using wallpapers from a Rice-Eijffinger collaboration, and I really loved them. These she purchased from Wallhub, so we paid them a visit. 

We met up with Avan from Wallhub, and he patiently showed us what they had in stock. The range was mind-boggling, and we initially were rather overwhelmed by how many wallpapers we liked and wanted to use! Wallhub stocks many European brands of wallpaper, and there were so many pretty designs. After flipping through stacks of catalogues and having a heated debate with the hubby, we managed to narrow our selection down to a few Rice wallpapers (I loved the bright colours and happy designs!), along with a few other designs from other brands. 

In the end, we decided to go with a lovely Van Gogh wallpaper by BN Wallpaper, instead of going with the Rice designs, which on second thought were a little too youthful for use in a master bedroom (I am still hoping we can do up some wall in the home with Rice wallpaper though!). We fell in love with the Van Gogh line, which features wallpaper that is richly textured, as though the painter scraped his palette knife across the walls itself. The designs were inspired by Van Gogh's various paintings, and we particularly liked the ones that were based on his painting "Almond Blossom", which were of a flowering almond tree. The original painting had the tree painted against a blue sky, but the wallpaper came in four background colours of dusky pink, white, blue (like the original) and a deep warm yellow. All four were gorgeous, but we thought the pink would be the most suited to our colour theme. 

Having chosen the wallpaper, we decided to get our contractor to put up a partition wall (you can see the thickness of the wall in the picture above), and have the wallpaper installed on that instead of the back of the wardrobe. This was because the wardrobe was pretty old and the back was rather flimsy, so I figured the partition wall would allow us to keep the wallpaper, should we decide to tear down the old wardrobes in a few years time. 

It was only after we had purchased the wallpaper did I discover the significance of the painting by Van Gogh. "Almond Blossom" was painted for Van Gogh's nephew, who was named after him, and the almond tree was selected as a symbol of new life. It was rather apt, since these almond tree branches would be sheltering our own little baby too, as she slept in the cot in our room.

The installation of the wallpaper was done by Wallhub, and was quick and fuss-free. The installers even cleaned up after themselves! I really don't know how they do it, but you cannot see where each piece of wallpaper connects to the next, and everything is seamlessly connected. 

We moved our ten year old chest of drawers over, to replace the built-in cabinets. It fitted the space perfectly, along with the massage chair. I'm trying to keep the dresser top as clear as possible, and it helps that I'm a no-frills person when it comes to skincare (plus I don't wear make-up). 

The tiffin carrier houses the few pieces of accessories that I wear, which these days are mainly silicon bead necklaces that the baby can chomp on. I couldn't resist adding flowers too (these are from a flower subscription, which I would be sharing more soon). We also took down the old existing blinds, had curtain rods installed, and bought some dark grey curtains from IKEA. 

Because of the lovely texture of the wallpaper, Baby J cannot resist running her hands over the walls. 

I think she approves. 

I do love how the wallpaper brightens up the room. No regrets choosing this over brown laminate! Now, on to sorting out the rest of the room...

Disclaimer: We were given a discount off installation costs at Wallhub, but we paid for the rolls of wallpaper. No monetary compensation was received and all opinions are my own.