J.K.L Stories

For this year’s National Day celebrations, we thought of incorporating something very specific to Singapore into our photoshoots.

We decided to bring into the limelight the Singapore’s Central Business District and the Marina Bay Sands. These spectacular views will only enhance our pieces.

We wanted to put together the dreamy look of knittings and the prestigious backdrops of Singapore, such as local and international businesses, as well as the urban core of the country.

Our modern and tall buildings and the luxury of the Marina Bay Sands harmoniously complement our designs! The modernistic urban touch will come together with gentle and aesthetic knittings! It truly will be representative for all of us!

This year marks the 56th anniversary of Singapore’s Independence! August, 9th is a special day for our country, as we appreciate our tiny but mighty state. Beyond our national festivities, multicultural dances and songs, aerial performances and fireworks, House of Pumpkin wanted to add to the celebrations in its own way – We offer a 56% discount for all children items! Party on and shop your favorite knittings!

2 years in a row we had to celebrate Dad’s birthday at home before we could not eat out due to Covid =(

So many people have asked me: `Why do you want to start up a company of your own?`

In all of my 15 years of employment, I have been lucky enough to have amazing mentors and colleagues who, eventually, became really close friends. However, I can’t go on about my life thinking I will always be this lucky.

I was part of a start-up company where my colleagues were either uber young and thirsty for acknowledgement and professional recognition or surrounded by people carrying with them major trust issues.

Being at some point in a position where I got a load of professional attention from the founder of the company, since we worked so closely together, every day I felt like I was going to a battle field. At times I thought I should be wearing full on armor and ammunition! Only one week in and I felt as if I have been working there for a year! That’s how fast paced the environment was.

My patience was put to test every day, as everyone, so conveniently, classified me as `unable to work under pressure`. I even found myself snapping at my son for no apparent reason, not to mention I wasn’t able to spend enough quality time with him. This was not because of the workload, but because of the mental pressure and exhaustion I had to be face each day and because of my efforts to shield and protect  job I was paid to do.

Like any other imperfect mom, I was making myself guilty of certain things, even though I try my best every time.

Of course, there are always going to be other people (most of them haven’t even walked a mile in your shoes) who ask you `But why aren’t you the perfect mom?` Well, to those I respond: `It’s easier said than done, isn’t it?`

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be perfect?

Even though we know all of the theory, that perfection isn’t achievable, we always strive to toch it, don’t we? Is it because we tend to follow a goal that is far from us because we feel like we owe it to ourselves? Or is it because we have a rather questionable sense of self preservation and we feel almost obligated to prove ourselves to others?

This photo right here makes me feel like, at times, I am sort of caging my son in a way and instead of complimenting him, I am always busting his own bubble. By doing this, I believe I try to make him more humble and down to earth. I don’t want him to become entitled, like he is the center of the universe (even though for me he is) or like he will always have everything he wants and money will just roll into blocks into his lap.

Of course, he is spoiled by his grandparents and it’s only normal to be so, as all grandparents do so. They offer him anything and everything he wants, which kind of contributed to his present behavior which I am trying to mold into something better.

As parents, we are so busy with their everyday hustle and we tend to ignore the importance of mental health. Mental health issues are real and pressing, starting as soon as the pre-school period. I wasn’t aware of this until I spoke to Jake’s counselor, the moment he entered primary school.

The stress and pressure of the parents transcend to the children, not to mention they have their own personal problems, and to their own scale, these issues might not be as little as we imagine.

I make myself guilty for sometimes snapping at Jake and I notice that this behavior is easily mimicked by him. He tends to express his frustrations through anger, even towards people who deeply care for him.

There is no doubt that both of us are a work in progress, but isn’t this what life is all about? Always trying to better yourself and we are looking forward to becoming our greatest versions in order to live a fulfilling lifestyle!

So proud of this woman!

I have seen her all throughout her journey, from being a wild and free teenager to a mature and complex woman, a wife and now an outstanding mother (even though still wild haha).

It definitely wasn’t an easy, all rainbows and butterflies type of marriage. She lived with an infidelity husband who not once did he fail to test her patience and sainthood.

I am so utterly proud of her strength, for walking away from that dreadful marriage and for prioritizing her son’s happiness and hers also.

For sure it won’t be an easy road ahead, but I’ll try to support her and to land her a shoulder whenever she’ll need me. This is a promise!

How time flies…It’s beyond me and I simply can’t understand how is it that Jake turns 12 today?! Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we are stuck in Singapore, YET AGAIN! Maybe this is not such a bummer, but to make things worse, he has to be in school exactly on his birthday! Oh, boy…

Anyway, we wanted to make him feel extra special and loved on his birthday, so we got himhis favorite cake and seafood for dinner! Not to mention there were a lot of games involved, too! Fingers crossed that this can make up for all of the pandemic hassle.

Dear Jake,

The most memorable and magical moment of my life was 13 years ago, when you came into my life. Words are too small to describe what I felt when you werefirst put into my arms. It was like a whirlwind of serenity, joyful and fireworks, all combined into my soul.

You mean the entire world to me and I never knew I could ever love someone at such high levels of intensity and depth as I love you, my darling boy! Up until I met you, everything was so linear and dull. Since the moment you were born, our lives completelychanged for the better. You have brought us so much laughter and happiness. It is almost as if we were never really living until you joined our family!

I know that sometimes I may not be the perfect mother, but I promise that each day I give my best to be and do better and that I will keep on trying!

In the end, I want to thank you for being such a wonderful son, a ray of light into our lives and a forever carrier of my joy!

Love,

Mummy

 

Being a single mom, it can feel like a hard task sometimes. But there is a silver line in all of this – I get to celebrate both Mother’s and Father’s Day, as it’s double the work. I don’t know about you, but it seems fair to me!

Even though I have to step into the dad shoes for Jake, I am very lucky to have my dad as a fatherly figure in Jake’s life. He learns so much from him and it’s heartwarming knowing he looks up to him so much!

This year, for Father’s Day we were pretty much stuck at home. Since we were bound to eat at home, we decided to order my dad’s favorite fish head curry.

We enjoyed our dinner and once again realized how blessed we are to have one another!

Saying that I miss travelling is an understatement! This particular photo popped up on my IG feed – it is a memory from 2 years ago!

Fun fact: did you know that these bags were actually DESIGNED by Jake when he was in kindergarten?! How awesome is that?

I took his individual drawings, put them together and created the most magical thing which he can be so proud about! Out of the many qualities I appreciate about him, his creativity stands out! He is very bright and has the most compelling and beautiful ideas. I love being his mom and I feel like I am learning from him everyday

I wanted to plan something fun for H’s birthday since this pandemic kind of blew our plans. I decided to go for a surprise cake since he loves everything sweet. He had a lot of fun and enjoyed the cake I made for him, so I declare myself content with my baking skills!

I started my birthday by spending time with Jake and enjoying our brunch. Afterwards, I rushed home to pack for mine and H’s birthday since our birthdays are only 3 days apart. How amazing is that?  For the evening, we enjoyed a serene dinner at Lavo. Everything was straight out of a dream!

 

It is unbelievable how time flies by and today we get to spend the last day of the Chinese New Year with Jake’s friend. The boys enjoy playing games and Jake always brightens up whenever they spend some quality time together. It is heart warming to see him this happy!

Because Shaan is pregnant, we can’t host a big birthday party this year. Did I mention that Jo is pregnant also? Jo has actually offered to host a Chinese New Year dinner with friends, making the perfect occasion to celebrate Shann’s birthday as well! It felt great having fun with friends and I enjoyed every moment of it! It remembered me of the good old pre-pandemic times!

 

We felt like celebrating the second day of the new year with our family. We went to my cousin’s house, where Jake could play and even swim at their condo. I must say, the only good part I can see regarding this new year is that I can actually rely on someone to help me keep Jake entertained while dealing and managing my own stuff.

Knitted the Hold Tight Clutch for myself!

The Hold Tight clutch is the perfect knitted bag for running errands. If you are on the go, you can quickly grab this clutch and throw in it whatever you need. It can carry your phone, papers, make-up, a small tablet and on top of this, it looks chicand stylish!

Because of COVID-19, this year we are allowed to visit only two families, with the limit being at eight visitors, which is such a buzz. We chose to go to my aunt’s house, so that Jake could play with my nephew. Of course, mom and I engaged in a game of Majong with my cousin and aunt!

Knitted the Morgan Clutch for myself !

The Morgan clutch displays an intricate design. The braided pattern makes it perfect for date nights on the beach or for a relaxed stroll. It carries a lot of items in it, so you won’t have to worry about stuff not fitting inside it. Also, the square shape makes it appropriate for various looks.

Influenced by the year that passed, this Chinese New Year dinner is simply quiet. Jolyn got married and she is having dinner at Jonathan’s house, so everything seems more still now and a bit less festive. However, I’m trying to remain positive, curious and excited for what future holds for us.

 

Can we all agree that we miss big parties and loud rooms full of life and people? Because this year Jolyn is attending a reunion dinner at Jonathan’s house, we organized a small, last minute dinner before the actual day of the New Year. It was nice and cozy having dinner with her and we were all looking towards the future together.

 

 

I most probably sound like a crazy fan (even though, to be truly honest, I never was a big fan of local TV drama), but I was completely hooked to the TV series `Tangling` and Nat was for sure part of the reason. Of course, I had to start googling about him. And to add even more to my recently discovered fan in me, the more articles I read about him, the more it made me want to know him a bit more. So, he became the top priority on the celebrity list to work with.

I didn’t approach him immediately after my website went up, as I was rather skeptical and even a little nervous to reach out to him for a possible collaboration. `After all, he is still a celebrity`, I thought to myself. I have quite the experience, as I have worked with a few influencers before, I finally reached out to him in November, 2020.

The day eventually arrived and we had a Zoom call in December 2020. It actually went really well! I delivered the sweater to him today, even though there were a few hiccups along the way with the cleaners. However, he was very kind about the entire situation!

He wore the sweater and even made a video!! Did I mention he has amazing vocals? I was really baffled, as he didn’t strike me as the usual `singing` type of guy, but he is just full of pleasant surprises!

In all honesty, I can’t thank him enough for this opportunity, as this is great exposure for the business. Not sure if I sound greedy or not, but I do not wish this to be the first and last time knitting for him. He is the perfect model for my knittings! Not everyone can carry knit wear as fashionably as he does!

The bluish grey sweater perfectly complemented his skin color and adds an even more romantic atmosphere to the song he was singing. Also, the rounded neck and the braided pattern create a casual chic approach, making it perfect for a variety of styling options.

Second wedding of the year...

My day started at 6.30 am, as the make-up artist arrived earlier to do the make-up for the bride and my mom. At 8 am, I had to wake up Jake and get him ready before the groom arrived. At 9 am, Jake, Jolyn and my aunt indulged in playing Pokemon in the living room while waiting for the groom to arrive at the house. Unfortunately, due to this pandemic context, all the festivities seem so simple, that it doesn’t even feel like a wedding.

When the groom arrived, at around 9.30, Jake opened the door for him and I found it to be a special moment. H picked us up at 10 am and we arrived at the reception venue at 10.45 am, while being surrounded by a pouring shower of rain.

The solemnization took place at around 11 am and we finally got to see all of my aunts and cousins. Sadly, these days we are only able to see each other during a wedding or funeral, there is no in between.

We enjoyed the wedding lunch at 12 at noon and, at the end of the day, we were thrilled for the   newly-weds’ happiness and future together.

 

Jake’s first day of primary 6 is finally here. This year is going to be an extra careful one, as Jake is going to be taking his PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). This is an annual examination, taken at the end of the final year of primary school. We are nervous,but excited at the same time for Jake’s next chapter. I am very proud of my son and I know he will absolutely nail the exam!

First wedding of the year

I had to wake up early in the morning to attend Vanessa’s wedding. The wedding venue was the Fullerton Pavilion, a luxurious and stylish location. It was the perfect occasion to finally meet up with everyone after the Covid-19 lockdown. The kids had heaps of fun and enjoyed the night in each other’s company. This special day made me look forward to Jolyn’s wedding, which will take place next week. Can’t wait for it!