Firstly, I was raised in the Philippines and I experienced hardships (lots of it) which I think many children here in the UK take for granted. I still remember walking a mile away from home to sell fish! My mother always told me to do good in school so I can help the family (being the eldest). From elementary (junior) school, I already started thinking on what I would do and what type of companies to work for without ruling out the possibilities of working overseas. So I worked hard, got good grades (& medals). I knew then that there was a possibility that I may not work what I studied so I heartily agreed (and attended) short trade courses and learnt to cook, make dresses and toys and bags. From 7yrs old to 16years old, we learnt to speak English as our second language, learnt history of the world, biology, physics, chemistry (I loved being in the lab & make things explode), we learnt home management (including cooking, hosting and service), we learnt to perform. Our local schools love musicals. We’d practice on our show after cleaning our classrooms, sometimes we make our own costumes. We also had our own gardens, we tend. The crops we harvest we display on nutrition month, graded then cooked or we take home. Yes, we start school at 7.30am and finish at 5pm. I think it is different now since there is a shortage of classrooms, some children only go to school for half a day. Which is a pity really and I think they are the ones missing out.

I went to a university in the Philippines. I applied to two and got accepted to both Electronics Engineering course in a private university and a state university. I knew I could do it (as long as I am not distracted). There were over 10 thousand applications on the state university I chose. Only about a thousand or so got accepted for the first year. The second year in that school only about 3/4 of those accepted are able to continue and the number dwindles the further they go. I know that in my batch, only a handful finished with engineering diplomas and the very best of my classmates were headhunted by the biggest companies. The reason they got the job was because of how good they were, the skills they’ve learnt and how difficult it was to get there. Of course, every situation is different so, we’ll never know for certain if the combination of these parameters are true and would work for every country.

The opportunity arose before I finished school that took me to France and I grabbed it with both hands. I enrolled to a university in Sophia Antipolis for the same course. Genie de Telecommunications et Reseaux. Here the students were very studious, they knew that they will not be able to continue if they failed. I tried my best but my teachers and I spoke different mathematical languages. Although we almost always came up with the same answer, the way to it was different and as they can’t grasp on how I got there, my grades were never as they used to. I admit, differential calculus is not my forte so I got my books sent to me so I can understand what they want to tell me. In the end, I decided to just find work and I did! I spoke two languages, computer literate, can wire basic network in the office and am not afraid to scrub the floors if I had to.

Then, I was also new to the French language and I learnt the French language in only 6 months. Of course, I felt let down to have been under an excellent teacher then the government sent me to a mediocre one just so I can get my certificate. I learnt the street language (and the vulgar ones) in the centre… ugh. I hated that experience.

Now, here in the UK is a totally different experience and I never really grasp it yet. My children are still in infant and junior schools and so far the only  thing I am sure is that they are learning is in English, Math and Sciences. I am not questioning it as the system worked for my husband who’s got a doctorate in Computer Science. But I still doubt that my children actually learn a lot compared to how much I learnt when I was their age.  In the Philippines, we only got to hear of the wonderful artifacts of the past and see their pictures in books, here in London, they can actually see it. By trying to get as many current things as they can, I think the basics/foundation is being skipped. In hand writing for example, how many young children do you know have a neat, straight and beautiful cursive? I was shocked that they’re quickly taught cursive when they can’t even master their straight lines and print. Also, the focus in teaching and learning was lessened because of the reports and targets and all the bureaucratic crap the government impose on schools. Life is tough, the children will NOT see it if they can get away with grades such as 20%. When I was school, black grades on the report card is 85%-100%, blue is 75% to 84% and red is 74% and below is failure. 20% passing grade is below ridiculous and the parent should be advised to find a tutor for their children! My brother’s 75% grades is making me proud of him somehow and to think all the smack/ talking down to/ etc… he got from the family for failing miserably made him resent us for being smart heads. The family finally accepted that he will never be as smart but we still demand that he stick to the passing grades and no more red ink on the report card.

My husband started doing part-time work since he was 11years old doing paper round and continued doing some form of part-time work throughout his studies until he graduated from university. And even if he’s finished school, he still continued studying to keep up to date on current trends in his field. These days, it is easy to get outdated.

So with all this reports about how many new graduates not finding jobs, I am wondering  what will the future be like for my children. And about the new graduates of today, I am wondering, if they’ve only looked for jobs in their fields of study. Have they tried something else, they can just to get experience or salary? Have they practiced what they learnt for personal projects? Jobs evolve, did they keep their knowledge up to date?   Have they got in touch with a head hunter for jobs and ideas on what skills are in demand? I think the private sector employers are becoming more discerning and those whose resume resembles thousands other will not have a chance at all (unless they’re lucky or in the right place & time). Just one advice though, do not make your resume look better by squeezing those barely there skills you dabbled on. Be honest. And if you want to add those skills, practice them on personal projects, who knows?? those personal projects might prove lucrative and you won’t have to look for another thing to do.

Job wise, I’ve been an administrative assistant, secretary, personal assistant, chef on a luxury yacht, stewardess on a luxury yacht, real estate agent and now a photographer. Did I love my jobs? yes. Did I get to use my skill in electronics and computer? yes. Did I get to use those skills I learnt when I studied trade skills? yes. Did all these experience make my resume confusing? hell yes! And I love every moment of it.

A diploma can certainly life make easier but it’s what you’ve done that make the difference.

Anyway, how well the children achieve later in life depends on the parents and I think I will try my best to share what I learnt to mine. I am afraid to confuse them but I think it’s the only thing that will give me peace of mind and give them better chance in the future. If they are not receptive, time to get strict.

The fabric I bought a long time ago from Fayence. It is lavender in colour and very simple.

Before
 This is the chair, the upholstery is grubby and it is not surprising since I have two active children who sometimes stand on it.

To do this project, you need an electric (or not) staple gun, screw driver, brush, hammer and scissors.

I decided to just get rid of the outer cover and keep the one underneath intact. The foam is still firm and good. If your chair’s seat feels thin take this second fabric off and replace the foam.

I then cleaned the wood. There are hard to access dust that accumulated in a corner. I also made sure that the joins are still good and tightened those that are not.

Putting the fabric is straightforward. I overlapped it so it won’t give me grief when I decide to replace the covers. The corners are tricky so make sure you have enough fabric at first to pull, fold and staple.  Trim the rest before stapling the final fold.

Do the same to all the chairs and voila! But before I say it’s done, brush clean the feet and attach new felt pads. This way, your chair will not scratch your floor and make horrid dragging noises.

Done in two hours and it did not cost me a lot. The fabric was only €5 as it was the last two or three meter from the roll. The felt pads cost around £1.50

After

Thanks for looking!

M1 actually loves the folding bed we temporarily gave him. It is bigger than his previous bed and firm. So he managed to convince me to keep it which works well with the current budget.

Below was how his bedroom looked before we changed the wall paper and painted everything white. We got rid of most of the furniture but kept the folding bed which he now uses.

We also kept the built in cupboards and updated the radiator. I haven’t found the fabric for his curtain yet as I am looking for a compromise design and colour scheme. He want’s his room blacked out (no he ain’t a vampire).

At the moment, he loves technology, knights and dragons, soldiers and lego. He is also very interested in robots and he wants to have loads of little robo-minions to do his chores.

Don’t ask me about the Australian flag, I was asked to put it up. I agreed since it gives colour in the room.

The mirrors are stuck to the built in cupboard’s door.
Vain he is… Well, not really. He’s just following orders to check his face before getting out of the house.

And instead of buying that red storage chest (shown in our design board), I gave him the one we already have in my bedroom. This he filled with more toys and soft toys which he still have difficulty letting go.

I forgot, he loves space exploration, medieval castles and dinosaurs. That blue shopping bag is from the loft. It is over 30years old I should frame it!

Since he somehow got over (a bit) of his pirates craze, I went to Greenwich market and got this wonderful drawing of London. I love the colours and all that detail. He is very cute when he was a baby and in these pictures, only 3 days old!

Boys with their toys. I got fed up having to squeeze myself past the hall where their computers were initially set-up. The desk was mine, I bought it from France and since it is a sturdy desk and it’s the right colour, I decided it will do. The shelving space underneath is very useful.

One thing we tried that didn’t work here is the carpet. He doesn’t like it so I gave it to the charity shop .

Most of the furniture here are we already own or came with the house. The bookshelf on which the robot is standing beside his bed and the swivel chair are both from Ikea.

Drawing of London is by Hartwig Braun in Greenwich and framed by Aluminium & Wood Frames in South Woodford.

Thanks for looking.

We got this for our son when he was still around 3 or 4 years old. Five years on, he still loves it. When he is in the mood, he opens this up and creates a whole new adventure for the alien characters. Cowboys & Aliens have nothing compared to his Aliens & GI Joe stories. Not only they include loud crashing & fighting noises but everything stayed undamaged.

For me, I just admire how much work the makers of this book put to make such intricate design with little nooks & crannies and landing pads!

So, if you are out of ideas on what to give a little boy who’s been good and who loves spaceships and aliens, I highly recommend this.

The retail price of the book is £14.99 but you can a new one for as low as £9.57 on Amazon (third party).

ISBN: 978-1405091022

I made this pouf for two reasons. One is for gaming and the other is to use for baby photography. I found that the ready-made one you can find in shops are not filled enough or not the right size for baby photography. So I made mine with the biggest and sturdiest fabric I can find which unfortunately is cream coloured.

All I did was create a big circle pattern, big enough for a baby to comfortably lie on. Then I cut two of them, one for the top and one for the bottom part. I think it is better to use a thicker and sturdier fabric for the bottom circle so it last longer.

Then I measured the circumference of the circle and used that as the length of my fabric. Also, find the right height for you to work on. It’s no use making a custom pouf when the height is the same as those in the shops. Tall people will just fall onto the pouf if you make it too short.

When you have all your pieces – at least 3 of them and your zipper, it is time to put it together. First sew the side end to end. Sew the zip at the bottom part face down. Next sew the top circle and the side together (good side facing each other). Then do the same  with the bottom circle making sure you sew the other part of the zip on it. Make it tight or make a fold so it is hidden when you turn it inside-out. To keep your pouf from bursting at the slightest pressure/impact when someone sits on it heavily, sew all the edges again with a double stitch or zigzag stitch. Turn it inside out and fill with bean bag filler. It is best to use a big funnel to lessen the mess. These little styrofoam ball loves to escape!

I hope I explained it clear enough. This was made 12months ago so I do not have pictures while I was making it. I might make another one and shoot the making of it since my M1 & M2 fights over this pouf.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ll answer you as best as I could. As I my previous post, don’t forget to follow me on twitter! It is www.twitter.com/MrsSnowdon or @MrsSnowdon

We decided to keep some features like the edging of the ceiling, the retro crystal ceiling lamp. Gone are the fireplace and storage heater.  We also mixed modern and retro furniture. The chest of drawers is an original 1960′s furniture made in Ilford, London. The lampshade came with the house as well. I can’t think of a colour to update it with so for the moment so, I just fixed the fringe.

As you can see, we still have some boxes whose contents are still homeless and I still haven’t decided which walls to hang a couple of large frames as well.

This weekend, I made new curtains. I went for contrasts. I’ve always loved blue and I think bright orange goes very well with it.

I am sure in the next couple of weeks, this living room will change (only a bit this time) again. Who knows? I might feel brave enough to change the lamp shade into something   else.  Besides, I felt brave re-upholstering the sofa, why not a lampshade which is marginally smaller?

Anyway, there are still quiet a lot of work to do before I will be completely satisfied. Until next post!

Curtain fabric and pouf cover from Ikea.

Continuing with the DIY projects and making our house look nice for less, it is the turn of these nice looking chairs. I found a pair of them from the local charity shop and bought them for £25 including the dining table and a pair of Ercol chairs. These chairs are very sturdy and I just love how simple and nice they look.

So instead of splashing on a new armchair, I chose to keep these and use the same fabric I used for the sofa. Also, knowing that I will be re-upholstering them, I kept some foam from packaging to recycle.

So today, will be the second time I changed the cover of the chairs.

A project like this is very easy as long as you can work out how to take the furniture apart. The only thing I really hate doing is pulling each staple one by one and very carefully too! Without the proper tools, it could easily become a nightmare of a project rather than a fun one.

And to keep the wood looking pristine and scratch free, I will be sanding it with fine sandpaper and applying wood oil. Can’t wait to show you all the final look!

Thanks for visiting!

I am angry and now I want to teach her to defend herself and retaliate. I should have taught her how to sit on somebody, punch, elbow and kick.

It may not be a serious hurt but the fact that this could be a start of bullying and or the other girl might start thinking that it’s okay to hurt others because she can get away with it. I won’t wait for something worse to happen and I definitely won’t let this pass without talking to the girl who did this and her parents.

We already started out thank you letters and to practice and for incentive, we made her do her writing on the iPad.

It’s cleaner and less frustrating since she is having fun writing and adding stickers.

The real deal is coming after though, with glue, glitters & a lot of erasing