(Article by guest writer E. Martin)

Entertainment plays very important role in your lives. It helps you recharge your batteries and start work with a renewed vigor. It provides you ample scope to amuse yourselves in your leisure time. Entertainment may be active as well as passive. If you are watching a drama or a movie, you are a part of passive entertainment. Again, if you are engaged in a sports or musical performance, then you are actively participating in some entertainment activity.

Entertainment helps you get rid of the monotony of day to day mundane life. It provides you ample fun, laughter and enjoyment. Over the centuries, the entertainment industry has also grown by leaps and bounds. Entertainment may be of different forms such as sports, theatre, cinema, clowns, pantomimes, dance, music and many more. Some popular forms of entertainment include:

• Theatre and cinema

Theatre and cinema are popular forms of entertainment which have huge mass appeal. Over the years, these forms of entertainment, have evolved and have taken today’s shape. In fact, cinema industry has grown  gigantic and is offering quality entertainment opportunities to the masses.

• Animation

With the development of computer technology, animation industry has grown stupendously. Many people, young or old, find animation to be entertaining and amusing. The introduction of 3D has broadened the scope of animation industry, creating cartoons which have evolved into realistic animated works. These animation provide ample scope for amusement and entertainment to both children and adult.

• Sports and games

Since the dawn of civilization, sports and games are part of our lives. The secretion of adrenalin as well as the fun, skill and excitement associated with sports enliven spirits and rejuvenate minds. Sports may be played by one person or by a group of individuals. Various competitions and championships have raised the appeal of sports among the people. Games may or may not be of physical contact in nature. Non-physical contact games such as playing cards and chess, also provide a quieten, more civilized form of entertainment.

• Music and dance

It is said that music is the medicine of mind. Many of us find music as a wonderful way to entertain ourselves. Various forms and genres of music cater to the requirement of varied types of listeners. Alongside with music, you may find dancing as also a popular way to amuse one self.

Life without entertainment becomes completely dull, boring, mechanical and lifeless. Innumerable ways are available before you to entertain and amuse yourselves. Entertainment does not have to be expensive, nor does it have to involve anyone else.  Pick the one which suits you the most and you may never be acquainted with boredom again.

I call this art piece “Bull Terrier in Orange”.

Aren’t you awed by how creative my naming techniques are?

More important to me than its name is knowing how the birthday girl will love and treasure this hand made gift, no matter how lop-sided I had sewn her dog to be. Sorry. Sewing straight has never been, and may never be, my forte. Besides, its boring. :)

Any mom would know, tending to a baby is like having 2 full time jobs all at once. In the midst of endless feedings, diaper changes & tantrum management, it is important to take some time to breath and do something out of the ordinary. Like taking a shower or going to the loo for a number 1.

If you are extremely lucky to have a supportive hubby like D-man, you can venture further and experiment with recycling / upcycling projects like this one.

It’s a tube bag for your yoga mat, and requires nothing but an old pair of jeans and some ribbon. Aunty Scroogey would approve. Come on admit it, we all have at least a pair of jeans sitting in the darkest corner of our wardrobes, waiting for it’s salvation day when we miraculously grow thinner. I stopped counting when my stash hit 15.

I made this from D-man’s ancient ripped jeans. I loved how incredibly soft it is, the results of being worn so frequently for years. I can never achieve that effect, nor will I ever see natural fade lines on my denims. That’s the downside for often buying new clothes that I don’t need.

But don’t tell him that. He might get cocky and use it against me.

Best part of it is, that I know it’s one in the world.

Just like D-man. :)

A good weekend (or 2 if you’re slow like me) project. I got the pattern from Abbey Lane, and love it for its generous size. I’m a born and bred big bag girl. Small, itsy ladylike handbags just ain’t up my alley.

I added a handmade owl for that extra cuteness. I think he is happy there.

Its inside is roomy and quilted, with pockets for your little life savers.

Finished off with a pair of nylon bag handles with leather grips. Light weight yet sturdy.

Available for order if you’re keen!

for a special friend. Hope she likes it. It’s suppose to be her Christmas gift but we met up 3 weeks too late. And then I met her last week I forgot to bring it along.


I hope she’ll use it soon cause she’s gonna be skiing in some exotic eastern European city which name I can’t even pronounce. Well, actually more like I can’t remember. Pregnesia does such things to you.

Who are you again? What am I typing? What’s this blog thing?

*I think she looks really cute in it. Don’t ya?

I wish I had one of these swaddling blankets when I was a baby. Then maybe I would have had a chance at being completely balanced and normal. Whatever normal means.

Yes I was kidding. But it is true swaddling blankets have been all the rage these years. Some brilliant person found out that babies are more at ease and funkier when constrained and wrapped up like a present. They sleep better and longer and cry less. Because they really are the needy, insecured noise makers we think they are. :)

2-different sides with hoodies on each.

It was fun & pretty painless to make this nevertheless, and friends (you know who you are), if you are expecting a beanie of your own please ask for one from me. I’ll be more than happy to make you one. As long as you give your first born to me.

Yes I was kidding again.

Second or third born ones works just as well. Offer while stocks last.

Ok so how do you swaddle with this blankie. Let me bring on my assistant for a free demo.

First put baby on blanket with head towards the hoodie (duh!)

Fold up the opposite corner with the other hoodie and tuck baby’s chubby layered legs under it.

Fold down from the left hand corner and secure from baby’s right shoulder (doesn’t matter which side you start from)

Bring up the bottom left corner (same side where you started from) to tuck over baby’s left shoulder.

Repeat on the other side and fold down from the right hand corner and secure from baby’s left shoulder

Pull the remaining corner tight..

and wind around the back..

using the corner to tuck into the blankie.

Presto! you have a happy contented baby!

At least for a few precious minutes.

A couple of you asked me why I started sewing and like I mentioned, I was inspired an antique patchwork baby blanket made for my by my paternal great grandmother. I still keep the blanket till today but because its so old, it’s disintegrated into shreds and I’m so afraid to use it least it turns into dust. Bear in mind that when virtuous housewives of ancient times make patchwork, the fabrics were remnants of old clothings, unlike now where we often buy new materials for a desired pattern. The older folks know a thing or two about recycling.

So I decided to start this restoration project. I cut adequate fabric, hem them, and hand sew the pieces over torn patches. Some say it’s not sustainable because the other fabric would start to tear as well but let’s worry about that later. At least for now, I can hand down a true piece of antique to our beanie who’s about to meet the world.

This was the condition of many of those pieces before.

and after the cover-up is sewn over.

The finished product (sans the ironing sorry)

Time for yet another department fun building time! I mean team-building. This one’s really enjoyable. We get to learn new recipes, cook ‘em and have it for dinner! And the choice of Thai cuisine was totally the icing on the cake.

Don’t we look every bit the professional?

One of the finished TOTT (totally over the top) product! We made 3 other dishes but were so caught up with eating we totally forgot the pics.

at the Marina Barrage with team was loads of fun despite the neck craning and slight exhaustion. Would love to do it again sometime soon!

All our kites in action…

This person looks vaguely familiar. I think I remember her when she was not yet whale-sized…

The initial plan was to make a baby sized blanket with a ladybird theme because ladybirds are deemed to bring good luck. But of course the I let my over-zealousness take over and I ended up with a teen sized blanket.

Who is excessive? Not me! Nek!

Pop up hand-sewn appliques are a nightmare to make but extremely gratifying when completed.

A big part of the project was made with recycled fabric remnants…

pieced together in harmony. Her first baby steps to being green! :)

That’s the back of the blanket…

flaunted by these lovely international dollies.

Well at least her birthday presents for 12 years has been sorted out!