Salmon and Swiss Brown Mushroom Fried Rice

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capsicum, Chili pepper, Cook, dinner, Dorcas, fried rice, Garlic, healthy food, mushroom, Onion, quick meal, Recipe, rice, salmon, Soy sauce

This fried rice has an east meet west kind of feel, but I love it! It’s really easy to prepare and will be ready in half an hour’s time. So if you’re looking for a quick yet tasty and hearty homecooked meal, this is it!

Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
180g Salmon fillet, chopped into small cubes
8 swiss brown mushroom, sliced into 4-5 thin slices
2 green chillies
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 big onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon light soya sauce
1/3 teaspoon salt

1. Steam 2 cups of rice in rice cooker and set aside. (Rice leftover from last night’s dinner is perfect for frying if you have some because it contains less moisture.)

2. Heat oil over medium to high heat. When the oil is slightly bubbling, add in chopped big onions and fry till slightly brown.

3. Add in garlic and fry till fragrant, then toss in the sliced mushrooms. If water comes out from the mushrooms, fry till the water evaporates then add in capsicum, green chillies and salmon.

4. Finally, toss in the rice, light soya sauce and salt, and mix thoroughly. Serve hot and bon appetit!

Love,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist of Dainty Closet

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New Arrivals Sneak Preview

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apparel, Beauty, blouse, dainty closet, dress, floral, lace, Makeup Artist, online apparel, pencil skirt, top, women clothing

Floral prints and lace is what we are crazy about at the moment! It’s been a while since we’ve launched new arrivals on apparel as we have been focusing on accessories. So to our dear fans who have been waiting patiently, the wait is finally over. 🙂 We will be releasing new arrivals really soon, by early next week, so stay tuned!!!

We have decided to bring Dainty Closet’s shoot outdoor this time round for a change. The weather is kind of unpredictable lately though so I was a bit worried. But God is good. 😀 Though it was very cloudy in the morning and looked like rain was going to pour down any minute, the sun showed face when we were done with our makeup and ready to go!

We are grateful that our award winning photographer friend, Liew Tong Leng, has agreed to help us with the shoot. Here’s a few of the behind-the-scene shots…

This Lace Blouse and Floral Pencil Skirt is one of my favourite this season.

Kayla, my little girl, also in action. She’s such a cutie!!!

Valerie in our new Mint Green Floral Cut Out Dress. Yes the weather was really hot and humid.

Valerie and me fooling around during the shoot. Haha…

Keep a lookout for these dresses at http://www.daintycloset.com soon! Early next week! 🙂

Love,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist of Dainty Closet

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Creating A Well Balanced and Pleasant Makeup Look

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Beauty, Brush, Cosmetic, dainty closet, make up, Makeup Artist, stay at home mom

To me, makeup is an art, and like any other creative work, there’s no right or wrong to the application of it. Like an artist with a paint brush, makeup is based on one’s personal preferences and feel. Any looks that one loves, wears or creates do usually provide a glimpse of the person’s personality.

Having said that, there are some makeup looks that appear to be more acceptable or pleasant than others, and to create that ‘makeup look’ that will get you a lot of compliments is not that difficult to achieve. Understanding your own facial features and knowing what to accentuate and what to play down is important. In fact, it is all about balancing the various elements. You accentuate any elements, you correspondingly play down the others.

So today, I am going to share with you 2 concepts that is critical in creating a great makeup. One simple rule you can adopt is: “Everything has to add up to 100%”. For example, if you’re wearing a rather heavy eye makeup (ie. smokey eyes), then tone down your blusher and lip color. The ratio can be something like this: 70% for eyes, 30% for cheeks, and 20% for lips. if you’ve decided to wear a red lips, then try to go for a more natural tone on your eyes, and the ratio can be 70% for lips, 30% for cheeks, and 20% for eyes. A picture speaks a thousand words, so below are a few looks for your reference.

The photo on the left portrays a balanced makeup, while the photo on the right is overdone.

Comparing the 2 pictures above, the one on the left is definitely more ‘balanced’. When the focus is on the lips, tone down the blusher and the eyes. The blusher on the right picture is too bright and when pair with the red lips, makes me think of Chinese Opera.

Errm… not to that extreme, but you get what i mean! >_<

However, with the same blusher, it looks exactly fine when I tone down the lips:

The photo on the right shows how the blusher looks totally fine after I tone down the lip color.

Here’s one more for your comparison. When the focus is on the eyes, tone down the blusher and lips accordingly, or it will look like you’re trying too hard (picture on the left).

The photo on the right is much more pleasant after the blusher has been toned down.

Another very important thing to note is the use of colors. In my post on Outfit of the Day or Look of the Day, I mentioned about avoiding clashing colors for outfit and accessories. The same rule actually applies for makeup as well (creative makeup is an exception). For your entire look to be coherent, choose colors that complement each other. For example, if you’ve chosen a pink tone for your lips, then choose something a long that line for your blusher as well. Wearing a coral tone blusher will make you look funny. Can’t imagine? See below…

The coral blusher on the right looks completely out of place with my pink lip.

However, colors come in different tones, so there are definitely some that fall in between, meaning you can pair it with both warm and cool colors. So how do you decide what goes with what? At the end of the day, it’s really about exploring and trying. The combinations are endless. But for a start, you can always refer back to the color wheel.

Have fun creating!

Love,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist of Dainty Closet

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Homemade Chilli Paste

My family and I love everything and anything that’s hot and spicy. So, it certainly makes sense for the recipe of my homemade chilli paste to be the debut of my cookbook. 🙂 This chilli paste is so versatile, and will be used as a base in my upcoming recipes such as curry chicken, laksa, assam fish and etc, all of which I will be featuring in my cookbook. So here it is… So do try it out!

Ingredients:
30 dried chillies
10 shallots (peeled)
1 stalk of lemongrass
5-6 pcs of kaffir lime leaves
A handful of curry leaves
3 candlenuts
5-6 cardamom (peeled)
3-4 cloves
A pinch of corriander seeds
A small pcs of ginger
A small pcs of turmeric (about 1 inch)
A small pcs of cinnamon (about 0.5 inch)

Preparation:

1. Remove as many chilli seeds as you can by cutting it into half and slit it open vertically. Chilli seeds are not good as it cannot be digested. Then, rinse it over tap water for 1-2 times and soak. Set aside.

2. Peel the onions and set them aside.

3. Remove the shell of the cardamom. We only use the seeds inside.

4. Remove the most outer layer of the lemongrass if its already dried up, and cut it into 3-4 pieces.

5. Drain the water of the dried chillies, and put all ingredients into a blender to blend. Some blender blends better with water. If you find that only the ingredients at the bottom of your jar is blended while the top remains intact, add half a cup of water, mix the ingredients with a spoon and blend again. Avoid adding too much water as it will lengthen the cooking time later on. You should get something like this:

6. Heat 2 cups of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When you see the oil bubbling, turn to medium heat and add in the blended ingredients. Stir occasionally to prevent it from burning. Cook for about 30 minutes, and the paste should be ready when it turns deep red in color. You can add a little oil along the way if you find that the paste is too dry.

Note: If you added water in the blending process, it may take a little longer to cook as the water needs to be evaporated. I usually do not add salt to my chilli paste and only do so when I use it in my cooking. The paste can be kept in the fridge for about a month. Ensure it is completely cooled down before you store it in the fridge or you will get mouldy chilli!

Hope you will enjoy this homemade chilli paste as much as I do. Try it soon and you’ll be ready for my curry chicken recipe coming right up! Drop me a line if you have any inputs or comments and HAPPY COOKING!!!

Love,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist of Dainty Closet

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Welcome to my kitchen!

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Cook, Cookbook, Dorcas, home cooked food, Recipe

As I blog about makeup and fashion, this idea of sharing the recipes I’ve collected over the years pops up. If the purpose of my blog is to share goodies, then why should I limit it to makeup and fashion? Eating well and healthy is so critical in contributing to a more beautiful you, is it not? So yes, blogging about cookbooks and recipes do line up well!

As a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM), cooking is supposed to be one of my performance indices. Feel my stress!? >_< Haha… guess who my bosses are? None other than my hubby and my 2 princesses. But I have always enjoyed cooking as I LOVE TO EAT so it has never been a problem meeting ‘expectations’. 😛 Over the years, I have collected many recipes which I’ve tried, tested and improved on, and I have finally found the perfect place to share it with you. And please do share with me your favorite recipes too! 🙂

I believe the greatest taste comes from the most natural ingredients. I never believed in artificial coloring, flavoring, or even processed ingredients. Hence, in all my recipes, I will try to use only fresh natural ingredients as much as I can. This would mean making chili paste from scratch for my curry chicken (trust me, its not that difficult at all), using freshly squeezed coconut milk for my laksa, and making my own fish balls for steamboat and etc. And yes, all these will be shared here in my cookbook. 🙂

So, I would like to now welcome you to my kitchen, and I hope you will have fun with all the recipes which I will be sharing with you, as much as I do. 🙂 HAPPY COOKING EVERYONE!!!

Here’s a glimpse into my lovely little kitchen where I cook with lots of love…

Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist / Private Chef for the See Household 🙂
http://www.daintycloset.com

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Outfit of the Day or Look of the Day?

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accessories, earrings, necklace, online accessories, ootd, outfit

Have you ever seen someone in a pretty outfit and thought she looked great, but that something was missing? Accessories are a great way to turn your ‘outfit of the day’ into your ‘look of the day’. It can be worn in many ways, either to complement your already flattering outfit, or be a statement piece that becomes the centre of attention. Accessories are not limited to necklaces, earrings or bracelets and bangles, but also include things like scarves, shawls, handbags, belts and watches. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, below are some pictures for your comparison. 🙂

Can you see from this picture how the beautiful Daisy and Pearl Necklace has instantly brighten up the simple white shift dress? 🙂

This White 5 Petal Earrings is one of my favourite! Unfortunately, it is already sold out. However, you can still grab the Pink one before its gone! 🙂

You can still look good even when you’re lazy to dress up. Wrap a shawl around your neck and put on a pair of earrings. See how much difference they make?

Here’s a close up shot of the Black Flower Black Stone Earrings from Dainty Closet. 🙂

Ok, here’s one more to get you excited about wearing accessories. Haha. Though the Knitted Dress (Dark Peach) is quite casual and nice on its own, The belt and the Earthy Tone Beads Necklace definitely played a part in making it more interesting.

So, for those of you who are clueless on how to choose accessories for your outfit, here are some tips to get you started:

Tips 1: Do not let the accessories overwhelm you. Choose the size of the accessories according to your built. If you’re really petite, try to avoid pieces that are big and chunky. However, if you generally wears a size 12 or above, do not be afraid to explore with pieces that are big and bold.

Tips 2: If you’re wearing an already fanciful outfit, play down on your accessories. Choose something that is simple or it will make your outfit look tacky.

Tips 3: Unless you’re trying to make a big fashion statement, avoid clashing colors between your outfit and your accessories. To understand a little more about the colors, Black and white generally goes well with all colors. Cold colors are blue, green, and violet. While warm colors are colors like red, orange and yellow. You can always refer to a color wheel when in doubt. Usually colors that are side by side on the color wheel will go well together.

When in doubt, refer to the Fashion Color Wheel to better match your outfit colors

Tips 4: Avoid getting too busy with accessories. More doesn’t mean better. If you’re already wearing an eye catching necklace, keep your earrings to as simple as possible, or just go without. As a general rule of thumb, choose your statement piece of the day, and play down on others.

Tips 5: Decide on one style! For example, if you’re wearing a vintage outfit, choose your accessories according to this feel. Pairing it with a bohemian style necklace will definitely make you mixed up!

Hope this helped shed some lights on how you can choose your accessories more wisely. 🙂 If you’re in doubt or can’t decide which accessories to pick for your outfit, drop me an email! Take a picture of your outfit and some possible accessories that you’re deciding and email it to me. I’ll be more than happy to give you my 2 cents worth of advice. 😀

One more piece of advice before i sign off… Don’t be afraid to play ‘mix and match’! Even if you think that this particular pair of earrings will never go well with your dress, just try it on. You’ll never know! Just keep in mind that no one will be looking until you step out of your house. So just explore until you get the right one! 🙂

Love,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist of Dainty Closet

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5-Minutes Makeup Essentials for the Busy You

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baby at home, Bobbibrown, eyeliner, foundation, Jill Stuart, Shu Uemura, stay at home mom

Being a mom has really trained me to use my time more wisely. As a hands on mom with a toddler and a baby at home, I dedicate most of my time to my two girls. Other than making sure their breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, I intentionally allocate bonding time with them through reading, painting, singing and playing really childlike games (also giving occasional time-outs when Kayla, the elder one, gets out of control!).

How do I find time to work?  Nap times are golden hours and sometimes when they decide not to cooperate and choose to somehow nap at different timings, I will have to forego precious moments to myself. It will also mean that I can only start work after 9pm when they go to bed (it’s a nightmare on days where they toss and turn in bed for hours and only manage to fall asleep close to midnight!!!). Holding 2 full time jobs (full time sahm and founder/makeup artist of Dainty Closet) can be tiring at times, but definitely fulfilling and rewarding. So I proudly call myself a working-stay at home mom. Haha!

Anyway, though it’s my instinct to put family as my first priority, I always ensure I have time to take care of myself too. It is important to have a support network from friends and family so that I can have someone to entertain my two cuties while I go rejuvenate myself and do essential “self-maintenance” such as manicure, haircut, facial and etc.

In case you are wondering by now, when am I going to share the gist of what my blog is entitled after, yes.. coming right up! Though I’m a very busy mom (As are all sahm! Agree all you mommys out there?! >_<), I always make sure my outward appearance is in sync with my inner being – fresh and joyful. Everyday is a new day! And makeup can bring that extra zing and freshness to every busy women. Though I’m a makeup artist, I must admit I am not one of those makeup fanatics who owns a whole closet of makeup products. Yes, I do try out new makeup products and keep myself abreast of the latest trends and technologies for the sake of my career. But most time, I find myself reusing only a few products. When time is not on my side, a bare minimum is just sufficient. So, let me suggest to my readers, for a casual everyday makeup look, if all you want is to create a natural glow and look fresh, the following essentials are probably all you need. The best part is you only need 5 minutes and you’re ready to go! The order of the product listed is my ordered choice of application.

Liquid Foundation – Shu Uemura 774 light beige
For a flawless finish, pump a small amount of foundation to your palm first then apply over whole face, starting with cheeks, forehead, nose, eyes and chin area. When doing makeup for myself, I prefer to use fingers as the warmth of my fingers makes it a lot easier to blend. Avoid applying too much foundation on areas that crease easily such as the eye area and the smile lines. Remember the purpose of foundation is to even out skin tone and not to cover blemishes so do not over do or it will look cakey.

Cream Blusher – Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks Pale Pink 11
This Bobbi Brown pot rouge is perfect for those who do not wish to buy too many products as it can double up for lips and cheeks. I like cream blusher because it is longer lasting and gives a dewy finish.

Compact Powder – Chanel B10 Beige-Pastel
The purpose of compact powder is to set your makeup. Apply a sheer layer over whole face with a powder brush.

Eyebrow Pencil – MAC Spiked Crayon Pencil
For eyebrow pencil color, always choose one that matches your hair color. I love this MAC’s eyebrow pencil because no sharpener is needed. Just twist and its ready to use. Important when you’re already late for work or a baby crying for your attention as every second counts!

Liquid Eyeliner – Integrate by Shiseido Black
This is by far the most smudge-proof liquid eyeliner I’ve ever bought! Sadly its not available in Singapore. I bought it from Japan and always stock up when I have friends travelling to Japan.

Mascara – MAC Extreme Black
Works quite well in thickening lashes. Smudge-proof compared to others that I’ve tried.

Brightener – Jill Stuart Pressed Powder N 03:Shimmer
Apply under eye area and upper cheek for a natural translucent finish.

Blusher – Jill Stuart 07 Lovely Tulip
Layering a powder blusher on top of a cream one gives you a natural brightness. Always ensure you apply a pop color over a natural tone.

Yes, I did time myself to make sure my makeup is really done within 5 minutes, and below is the before and after look for your comparison. 🙂

You will notice immediately that I did not deliberately try to conceal my freckles. Rather than making every effort to conceal them by applying thick layer of foundation or concealer, let them show through. Embrace them as they are just naturally beautiful.

Do drop me a comment at this post if you have any questions regarding creating this natural makeup look and I will be more than happy to share some more tips with you. Who knows, if I receive overwhelming request, I may just shoot a makeup tip video for all to see in more detail how I go about doing this. Once again, do not let busyness be your excuse for not doing your makeup ok? All it takes is 5mins. 🙂

Cheers,
Dorcas
Founder / Makeup Artist
http://www.daintycloset.com

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Dolling up Sock Peng for Singapore Blog Awards 2013

Tags

1960 fashion, dainty closet, makeup, Makeup and Hairdo, Malaysian Blogger, sahm, Singapore Blog Awards 2013, Sock Peng, Travel Blogger

First of all, I would like to congratulate Sock Peng – the winner of Best Travel Blog for Singapore Blog Awards 2013, which took place just last Saturday. Well done!!! For those who are fluent in Mandarin, do check out her blog at mylovelybluesky. 🙂

Dainty Closet is proud to be the sponsor of Sock Peng’s outfit and look, and I am definitely honored to play a part in making Sock Peng’s day so special! It was my first time meeting Sock Peng (Our correspondences were entirely through phone and emails previously) and I’m drawn by Sock Peng’s authenticity, sincerity and easy-going nature. When Sock Peng asked if Dainty Closet could be the sponsor of her outfit, makeup and hairdo for the award ceremony, my immediate reaction was – why not? I am passionate about making my clients look wonderful, and I will put in my heart and soul to make my Sock Peng stand out among the crowd. I just love dolling people up! It makes me extremely happy and satisfied when I see my clients look pretty and feel confident about themselves. Come to think of it, I feel just so wonderful and blessed that I’m able to work in my line of work.

The theme for this year’s Singapore Blog Award ceremony is ’60s Fever’ and Sock Peng asked if I could recommend her apparel and accessories from Dainty Closet. When I think about 1960s fashion, minidresses with geometric prints and oversized accessories come to my mind. There is always something very unique about the 60s style, and I must say I am a great fan of the 60s style of looks and outfits. Perhaps in the near future, Dainty Closet can feature some 60s Fever design? Who knows? Perhaps you can demand for it? The higher the demand, the chances of it appearing in the store will definitely be higher! Haha…

Guess which apparel and pair of earrings I have chosen from Dainty Closet to match the 60s Fever look? It is none other than our lovely Peach Checkered Dress and Transparent and Gold Detail Flower Earrings (Sorry ladies, the latter is already sold out! Our earrings are quite a hit so do check them out before they’re sold out. :)).

I’m glad Sock Peng and many of her blog followers loved what I have recommended and don’t you all agree that she looked so lovely in them! Classic and dainty…

This is what Dainty Closet is all about – Putting a personal touch to whatever we do, and bringing the very best out of our clients. Once again Sock Peng, a great congratulatory note to you from the entire team from Dainty Closet!

Dorcas
Founder/Makeup Artist
http://www.daintycloset.com

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The Birth of Dainty Closet

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accessories, Beauty, bridal, Business, Clothing, Cosmetics, dainty closet, Dorcas, Makeup Artist, malaysia, Online shopping, ootd, singapore

I have been contemplating for quite a while on whether I should start a blog. After all, I’m not that good at writing (make it quite bad, shall we), and not that expressive either. Anyway, after much thought, I have decided to give it a try. Well, after making the decision to start a blog, comes the question of – what should I blog about. Hmm… I guess everything and anything under the sun! So here, you will probably read about the latest news about Dainty Closet, makeup, fashion, food, babies (yes I’m a proud mother of 2 beautiful princesses) and etc… Basically things that excites and keeps me crazy about at the moment.

To kick start this blog, let me share with you a little bit about the birth of Dainty Closet. Dainty Closet is started by me, with the support of my loving hubby and it’s really interesting how it all started. Just before giving birth to my lovely princess no. 2, I have decided to pull out from my partnership from Fabulosity (A bridal makeup company based in Singapore), where I was a co-founder cum makeup artist, to focus on family. Though I was very happy being a sahm (stay at home mom), I felt I could do something more. I’ve always loved fashion, makeup, and anything that makes a woman beautiful basically, haha… and thought, why not start something that allows me to work from home? And the idea of online shop came about.

When I decided to start an online apparel store, I was very sure of what I wanted. Dainty Closet will only carry quality merchandise that I would personally buy as a consumer, nothing less. It must be comfortable, practical (yes I have to run after Kayla every now and then), durable (can sustain the pull and tear of baby Jana – trust me babies are really strong) and AFFORDABLE. As I started sourcing for apparel worthy to be sold on Dainty Closet, I realised it was a real challenge to find products that can meet my expectation. Hence, I bravely took up the challenge to come up with my own designs, and my first debut – The Black Element was launched in June. Do check them out at http://www.daintycloset.com/new-arrivals.html.

So in a nutshell, this is how Dainty Closet was birthed, all by God’s grace. For those who are curious, below is a picture of me and my 2 blessings from God. 🙂

PS: Keep a look out for our new collection on pretty floral prints. Coming real soon!!!

Dorcas
Founder/Makeup Artist
http://www.daintycloset.com

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First Blog by Dainty Closet

Tags

bridal makeup, dainty closet, free shipping, GSS, hairdo, makeup, malaysia, online accessories, online apparel, professional makeup, singapore

We are very excited to present to you our first blog! We will be releasing our latest news, our latest collection of apparel, accessories and even beauty and makeup tips on this blog. We welcome you to give us your comments, discussion, or whichever you will deem interesting for our discussion posts!

Administrator
http://www.daintycloset.com

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