More Tshirt Deconstruction!

With reference to this earlier deconstructed shirt post, I now have so many different tops that I've deconstructed lately and I've been discovering certain ways about how to cut & weave them to give them different looks. Different classes would see me with a different styled top... some look like webs, some just look sliced n diced and some become my favorites like the above which I know caused quite abit of nosebleeds on my commute wearing this with jeans and heels.....

I would definitely create this criss crossed laced up look again with another colored top.

And I also have a dark green top below that I've put up for sale! Its a brand new shirt. Never worn other than taking this photograph. Sleeves cut off so now its a tank top. Fits a size 10 person or a general medium size.

The back looks like this below. I have released this top for purchase over facebook but if you are interested, you can leave me a message or email me at honeymeow@gmail.com to arrange your purchase. Top costs $10. Please add $2 for postage & handling. (Add an additional $2 for registered post charge if you want this). Message me if interested. Let me know!

Being Slim Isnt...

....as all cut out as they said it would be... I'm dilemma-ing. For the past couple of years, I've been on a weightloss journey as we charted myself from that massive 100kg size to where I am today at 66kg. Indeed it has been no mean feat and an incredible challenge to have gotten this far.

From inactivity to an insane amount of physical exertion only known to full time group instructors... or perhaps bootcamp army officers... from a total lack of control to a determined mindset... the journey has had its ups and downs over the years...

So after all that, my life has been turned left, right, up and down and have completely changed how I am, my social circles and the way I perceive life, gain satisfaction... and sometimes even grief...

Then here I am. 34kg lighter. Doing what I love to do everyday and standing at a weight of 66kg. Feeling grateful that I have family and friends who have told me I'm beautiful no matter what size I am. And I truely appreciate the sincere honesty too.

BUT also realising that 66kg is still a heavy weight. And that I have always had a 60kg target since I've started this journey... now I'm having my doubts that I should go that small...

Small?! 60kg is small?! Are you kidding?! Well ... an average person at 60kg would pretty much consider themselves chubby, fat or for the more extreme.. "OMG! I'm obese!!! So fat!!"... but looking down at myself.. apparently with a heavy body frame and a blissfully tighter muscle build than your average 66kg person.. I think I'm looking alright.

Whats with this obsession I have however about my weight? My girlfriend said "who cares! as long you look healthy"... really? I'm trying to understand why I can't seem to find satisfaction at that number staring back at me from the weighing scale.. 66kg.. hmn...

And this comes with a very highly vocal consensus from everyone around me to stop with the weightloss... Some ask... "you're still going to lose more? Why??!"... and all I answer is because... "I've set out to achieve that 60kg target... I must reach it if not I would not have achieved my goal"... but do I really need to? Thats the dilemma now... 60kg was the magic number. Because any average Singaporean female would be considered on the heavy side even at that number but I think it would be just nice. But then again, I'm not the average Singaporean female...

A 60kg size would mean an easy medium in clothes, a size 10 perhaps... but then again.. I'm already wearing from medium/large now and then the disappointment starts as I look about... yeah sure.. I now have an amazing side profile..or so I've been told... I stand with my front flat (with clothes on of course), back lean n tight all the way till my bottom where I now have a considerably smaller ass with just the right wiggle where I need it....

That said.. front is flat. Sadly, I've lost my boobs and I was really actually quite proud that I had assets up there for some time and considerably voluptous enviable ones at that... When the clothes come off at the end of the day now.. my previously glorious DDs are now a very meagre deflated C.. I may even be a B.... as I can feel air in my C cups.. *sads*

So the chance that losing the final 6kg would literally flatten me out makes me astoundingly miserable to think about. Comments would flow around me "you're just nice now"... "you won't look good smaller".... "maybe just 1-2kg more if you really want" is common phrases I'm hearing these couple of days...

So the dilemma here is... do I press on because I have said I will. Or do I remain complacent and stay. Would I really look bad smaller? Perhaps I'd just lose the weight just to see how I am and then gain some back if I really look like this so called skinny pointy chin alien people say I might look like...

Or perhaps I can just set a new aim. To tone and flatten my abs. (I have never had tight abs in my life!! I may be flat now but never tight). To tone my arms (I still have mini batwings due to the stretched skin from all that previous weightgain). To round and tighten my butt/hips so much that I finally have that enviable killer backside n thighs I've always yearned to have...

Okay.. at least for the above new aims.. I'll now set a timeframe to achieve these... from now.. to my upcoming Birthday in JULY 2011. Lets see how this goes... (peeks into my tshirt sadly... sad.. very sad *shakes head*... )... I never expected that I'd actually feel miserable about reaching a certain stage of slim. But then again, at 66kg.. I'm not slim... so that makes it worse!! Big n Boobless!! ARrrghhh!!!! :(

When is it ever enough...

HONEYMEOW GIVEAWAYS!

My blog has been running for some years now and over the years, there have been contests, endorsements, sponsorships that are mixed along with my personal chatter. I have made some good friends from many who have read my blog and gotten to know me personally and students who read me and have come for my classes or taken training with me or just those follow my blog regularly to keep up with what I'm up to. Thank you for making me a little part of your life and spending these few minutes interested in reading what I have to say.

While I realise that not all my readers are female, I have a giveaway from ME!! for my female readers so if you're one who have been reading me for awhile, you may be interested in the following... but if you're male and want to do this to give the item to your girlfriend / wife / lover / mistress / mother / sister / aunty / etc haha!, please feel free to join too! :) VALID for readers in SINGAPORE only.

See the lovely long wallets, metallic mesh pouch and bling bling hand purses up there? I have 20 pieces of a combination of what you see above for 20 lucky readers who do the following if you want one. Gifts will be randomly supplied so winners will not be able to choose which one they get but they're labelled as No. 1 to No. 20.

UPDATE: IF YOU HAVE SENT IN YOUR ENTRY SUCCESSFULLY, you will be listed here and know that you have won one of the items. Thank you!

1. Pauline Tan (Posted!)
2. Twirling Penguin (ST) (Posted!)
3. Ann (LAT)(Posted!)
4. Mizuki Chan (Collected)
5. Valerie Lim (Posted!)
6. Waine Shih (Posted!)
7. Frond (JP) (Posted!)
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Each winner will be listed down a list of consecutive numbers and you will get that respective item. :) Giveaway ends once the first 20 entries are in so I can arrange collection or postage. I will make an announcement once all have been claimed.

What you need to do to win one of them?

1. Read my Blog. Again. Yes.. again...
2. Give me the URL of your favorite 1 blog entry from EACH year** from 2007 to current and tell me WHY you like it or how it has entertained / inspired / affected / angered / pissed you off.... whatever... "I just like it!" is not a good enough reason. Thats a total of 5 links. 2007 (1), 2008 (1), 2009 (1), 2010 (1), and 2011 (1). (Pls. note that no more than 2 URL links out of the 5 chosen can come from my side bar popular posts listing.)
3. Leave your comment entry here on my comments box of this post.
4. *Important* Send me your contact details - Real Name, Home Address, Mobile No., your personal blog URL if any to honeymeow@gmail.com together with your URL list entry so I know which one is yours.
5. And finally, either give me some link love by linking my blog URL on your blog/website if you haven't already done so. If you don't have a blog, give me a shoutout with my blog link on Facebook and @pamelasim tag me so I know you have linked me up. :) If you don't have a blog/website or facebook. Then let me know.

Thats it! :) So easy right?

How are you going to get it?

Upon receiving your entry and email with personal details. I will arrange either to post the item won to you so don't forget to provide me with your home mailing address. Don't worry, I won't share your personal information with anyone.

OR you can arrange to meet me to pick it up while I transit around Singapore for my classes/training. I will have a schedule that you can check to see where I am for that week to meet me to collect your item and SAY HI! in person too!

However, if we have arranged for collection and you stand me up. *frowns* Your item will be given away to someone else and no, I will not post it to you after for wasting my time. These items are not light weight so carrying them around will not be easy.

I will release these details if there are any self collections (those who are in my classes or those who I see on a weekly basis and if you're one of the winners, I'll bring the item directly to you in class). Good Luck!!!

David's Farewell Class... Again.

Yeah again... I guess everyone just can't bear to let him leave. From the last class at Cali that saw most of these people crying to having yet another "Farewell" dance session with the señor before he really leaves Singapore for good. My dance instructor, the one who inspired my foray into Zumba Fitness and who has pushed me to excel to prove myself that I can give my best in this industry to those who are willing to join me.

Apparently, he's leaving with Wai Han (his girlfriend) to Taiwan where he will be more involved with Zumba and will be back in Singapore *schedule permitting* to train the instructors from time to time.

Group shot after all that crazy shaking. The mood was excellent, atmosphere was electric and there were many who finally experienced what a true quality Zumba Fitness class is like. My girlfriend Zuri organised the session together with some light food & beverages at the Hollandse club on the 10th of February 2011. Will miss these kind of gatherings and hope we all meet up again soon!

For now.. its onwards to more weightloss! I gained 4kg over the CNY weekend!! Imagine that!! I started Day 1 at 67kg. Day 3 saw me at 71kg?! but.. I'm pleased to report that 1 week post that freakish weighing, I'm back to my previous 67kg and have only 7kg left to go! Cheer me on! I can do it!! :)

CNY Huat! Huat! Danza Class

Before the CNY break, I organised yet another themed class for my Saturday afternoon dance class. All other students from my other classes at other locations & timeslots were also invited and those who could make it, did for the Chinese New Year session. We were missing quite a number of people that day!!

Everyone was told to come in red or oriental in theme outfits and everyone was sporting to ensure they did so for the day! I've never seen SO MUCH BRIGHT RED in my class before, it was quite blinding during the class as all we could see were flashes of red from everyone there... Thank you for being so enthusiastic everyone!!

Everyone also brought a dish for the potluck that we held after class and I look forward to every potluck as each of these women, those who cooked are crazy fabulous chefs and bakers! And those who brought food always brought something that everybody loved to have. Sinful food included!

Everyone also brought a brand new pack of Ang Pow for an Ang Pow exchange and I swapped the whole lot around and redistributed them to everyone with a fortune cookie.. Huat! Huat! Huat!! Good Luck for everyone!!

The class was crazily energetic that day and everyone participated to their fullest.. I could see seriously hard hip swaying going on in there and the atmosphere was hot hot hot!!! The class culminated with Theresa Tengs "The moon represents my heart" *who doesn't know this song?!* which everyone who could speak mandarin belted out with all their hearts... and those who didn't speak mandarin, hummed along and smiled throughout the cool down, me included! It was like a major major karaoke session! Everyone was fantastic! Thank you for singing so loud and with such passion!

After all that heart pumping and hip shaking action, everyone flowed out of the studio to prepare all the dishes and desserts. There was serious excitement and mayhem going on as it took me a long time to get everyone calm and their attention to gather for the tossing of the lucky Yu Sheng. "Ladies!! May I have your attention please!?! Do not touch the Yu Sheng till we have taken our group picture... Ladies?...Helloooo Ladies!?!" ....

Aha!! and finally... everyone had calmed down and we get a group shot in before we start on all the food... *Say Danza!!*

Tossing the Yu Sheng!! Huat ah! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Da Ji Da Li! Nian Nian You Yu!! Man Di Huang Jin! Huat! Huat! Huat ah!!

Emily made and brought the Yu Sheng for the day, very thoughtful of her to have thought of bringing it for everyone!! It was great!!! Who would have thought that shredding green papaya and green mango into the dish would make such a refreshing difference to your standard Yu Sheng! Yum! Yum!

And my twin buns were a hit at the class... too bad I didn't do a kick boxing track during that class so I could do a street fighter impersonation of Chun Li! *Haaaaiiiyah!*

Taking pictures with Judy, Pek Gan and Angie... this was a gorgeously structured shot that came out of us just running together and doing a quick pose by the little plant... very nice! Can anyone see my rainbow colored toe socks?

And when all the food and festive greetings were over... and most of everyone had left.. Pek Gan, Serene and I had a roaring laugh of a time playing with my camera with all sorts of strange poses... the 3 instructors and their chinky pony tails/buns...

And this is our, "oh I'm so tired, help me" wailing damsel in distress...

"Taxi!! Taxi!!".....

No taxi? *pouts* okay then.. one last pose... HUAT AH!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!

Zumba ZIN 28 Training

Every 2-5 months, Zumba releases a new release with new songs and new choreography to update and refresh each Zumba Fitness instructor taking the training. In other parts of the world, Zumba instructors would get their updated ZINs by post on a regular bi-monthly basis as they are released into the market.

However, in Singapore. We have it different. We wait for each and every ZIN release and the call for training. We all gather at an appointed gym studio and we drill out the technical steps for the appointed dance style for the day, whether its for salsa, merengue, cumbia or reggaeton.. it could be anything the ZES *Zumba Education Specialist* had selected for that training.

We had our latest ZIN 28 training over at True Fitness on the 9th of January with our favourite ZES of all time, David Velez, in green. (Yeah, and I'm only talking about it like 1 month later?). Well we're having another two trainings this Sunday, 13th February! ZIN 29 and ZIN 30 together!! I'm crazy excited as I know that ZIN 29 has an AMAAAAZING track list and nothing beats rocking the dance floor with my fellow Zumba instructors.. I know I see some of you often but yknow I heart all of you!! :)

Group shots with David and the rest of the Zumba instructors from Singapore and Brunei post workout after David had gotten everyone all hot & sweaty. If you attend Zumba Fitness classes in Singapore, you may know some of these people in these pictures! :) Many of these people are my dear dear friends and they're amazing people!

Viva La Zumba!! Peace Love Zumbaaa!!

ZIN29 and 30, here I come!!!

Happy Chinese New Year 2011!!

Chinese New Year has arrived! Thank you for reading me whether you have been with me for the past few years or whether you have just started reading my blog. Welcome and Thank you!

Without you, my blog would not have the readership that had enabled me to bring you some interesting products and services through the years. It was you that had made possible for me to enjoy them and for me to spread the joy where possible through prizes or giveaways.

I entered this Chinese New Year with great anticipation as it may be our last Chinese New Year celebration here in Singapore with our impending move this year.

With every year, Chinese New Year celebrations are filled with all types of treats, cookies, sweets and cakes. My mom in law's place was certainly filled to the brim with a full table full of sinful treats! The strangest thing that I noticed this year was that there was NO bak kwa on the snack tables this year... I was looking forward to sitting by and snacking on them... :(

The day before Chinese New Year Day 1 was the day for reunion dinner and it was a table filled with so much food. I fell asleep literally 1 hour from eating, completely crashed out on the living room sofa. I absolutely could not stay awake with the immense amount of food that was consumed that afternoon. For our family, we usually have it as a reunion lunch rather than dinner as my sister in law goes to her inlaws' house for dinner.

A must have at every Chinese reunion table, a leek and tofu dish for good luck & fortune.

This bitter tasting fish for luck.

Cauliflower, prawns and mushrooms for prosperity.

Cabbage, mushrooms, black fungus with dried prawns for abundance.

My mother in law makes a mean braised duck which is highly requested for during the Chinese New Year period so she made a huge one for the meal. I don't like duck but everyone else did! I loved the braised sauce with the quail eggs and tofu...

Steamed pomfret fish for more abundance...

Braised mushrooms with dried oysters and black moss for more prosperity...

Cuttlefish balls to represent gold nuggets for fortune and also popular with the kids too!

Home-made Ngoh Hiang which my mother in law made the week prior just for the dinner. It would not be the same without her home made meat rolls each year so we look forward to them alot! Dipped with Rose Brand black sweet sauce and Tiger brand chili sauce makes the best combination.

And whats a reunion dinner without the customary Yu Sheng platter which is filled with raw fish- usually salmon, radish/cucumber/carrot strips with a medley of various preserved ingredients topped with peanuts, sesame seeds, plum sauce, cinnamon & white pepper powder and packs of crispy fried crisps. Each ingredient represents a certain auspicious "saying" and each year, we amuse ourselves by attempting to remember them all while we lay out each ingredient in the serving dish.

And each table must be filled with alot of meat so we have platters of roasted pork which everyone loves.

And tender boiled chicken...

My mom in laws house was filled with gorgeous flowers too... Chinese New Year Day 1 started out at my mother in law's house where we exchanged greetings before we started the day of visiting...

The hubster CJ and his sister, Serene.... before we all started traveling about Singapore to visit relatives...

The hubster, CJ and me... still looking and feeling fresh before visitations...

My one and only sister in law and me...

And my next stop for the day, my aunt's house where all my side of the family gathered with my grandmother for the New Year celebrations.. and I got to meet up with my youngest sister, Alex.

This year was particularly fulfilling as I was pleased to note that most of my relatives took a while or at least took a second take at me before realising it was me. Compared to my 80kg size last Chinese New Year, this year entering the festivities at 67kg made a lovely difference and delightful change for the new year.

A picture with my grandmother who turns a golden 80 years old this April. I'm looking forward to celebrating her golden 8-0 in 2 months time! She has indeed lived a golden life and is well loved by many.

Group picture with my Dad, my youngest sister Alex and my grandmomma... and a review of what I wore for Chinese New Year Day 1! Black & Gold floral halter top with blue Levis jeans, gray 4 inch heels topped with twin buns on my head with mini red rose clips and red chopsticks for the occasion. HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Who's that Girl?

Its me! I came across a stack of photographs from some 4 years back when I was still working full time/studying part time to complete my studies. It was a pack of photographs taken when I was doing an advertising pitch presentation and the photos really surprised me.

I knew I was big but I only saw how huge I was when we reviewed the photographs again. This serves as a grave reminder never to get myself back into that kind of size ever again! I stood around 100-104kg during this time and my tops were maternity/nursing tops because those were the only outfits that could fit me at that time.. and no, I wasn't pregnant!

In the picture below, I was at my desk and wearing my favourite denim jacket. I must have been particularly good to hug back then!! Hahahahaha!!! :)

From Old to Sexy! Deconstructing your Shirts...

Deconstructing shirts is not a new thing but it certainly works to renew old shirts or even make new ones just that bit snazzy and unique! Its also not an uncommon trend amongst Zumba instructors to slash up their workout gear to add that extra sizzle to the overall look of each individual Zumba instructor.

I cut up an old red tee above for my Chinese New Year dance class above and it was an instant hit once I stepped into the studio. Not only was it crazy sexy but the ribbons looked like Chinese firecrackers which was extremely suitable for the occasion. I just sliced off the collar and made it a V-neck and sliced off the sleeves to make it a sleeveless top. An alternative could have been making it a halter top instead.

Making a top with a tied ribbon design like above can make it very versatile as it can fit a wide range of body sizes as you can tie it to fit your torso size.

I personally cut up several of my tees and tank tops much to the hubsters horror at first. "Why are you destroying your shirts!!" he exclaimed but when I show him each finished piece on my body - he nods in understanding and says "your students might think you don't have enough clothes because you wear all these shreds of fabric instead of normal gear but its nice..."

Materials Needed:
An old or new tee shirt.
One that should still be relatively tightly weaved & of average quality rather than be old, thin & flappy or it will not hold up the shredding.

A sharp pair of regular scissors or fabric scissors preferred.
A long metal ruler
Fabric chalk *to mark out your patterns to make cutting easier ie for shapes like the heart below*
A cardboard piece or a cutting board
Scraps of other material ie ribbons



How you cut up your shirt would very much depend on your creativity and you can easily go online to youtube to check out various designs to try out on your old tshirts. Over above, I'm sharing one that I thought *although its a little draggy long to watch* a video that clearly explains how to weave a shirt like what I did below. She weaves her shirt 3 times in her top but mine was a single weave done in a V pattern with a cut out heart. Weaving a shirt looks incredibly nice and its really easy to do too even though it looks complicated.

I practiced on an old black tee above and learnt a couple of things NOT to do in my next deconstruction. *As you can tell, I'm increasingly addicted to cutting up my clothes that I've put aside a whole bag of old tops that are destined for the cut*

For the top above, I learnt the following:
1. The dip in the heart shape needs to be deeper to be more obvious its a heart.

2. The longest part of the weave should start below the armpit height & not above or you'll get a gaping hole. (but which would be filled w the sports bra anyway...) and the longest length of line shouldn't be cut too near to the sides of the shirt. 3/4 length is the longest it should go. This time I went as long as 2cm away from side seams.

3. Spacing between each horizontal line must be thicker than 1.5 inches or the shirt's structure gets weak. I cut the lines about 1.5 inches estimated apart for this top and I felt that the structure wasn't going to make this shirt last very long esp. after some machine washing.

4. Weaving this shirt 2-3 times might tighten up the shirt better as the shirt was still quite loose.

I thought this girl below had a great idea for a corset ribbon kind of design which I will try with a fitted top shortly. Its really sweet and would really make a plain top look special. I like it and I'll do one too!!



There you have it so far... I'll post more deconstructed designs as & when I create them but if you make one, show me! Email your creation to honeymeow@gmail.com. I'd love to see it!

UPDATE! Created some more tops. Made one for my friend, Serene below here with her dark blue tshirt and added a purple ribbon at the end.

And with my newly purchased fabric scissors. $4 only from Spotlight! I sliced n diced up this one below for my class tomorrow in under 20 minutes! A pair of sharp fabric scissors makes SO much difference in the speed of how this can be done!

Thanks for looking!