Make Me Up - start the year right..

Here's to young ladies who would like to start the year fab and glam right!! See you there girls..

Details mean a lot...

Home celebrations always evoke strong feelings of both excitement and panic! We look forward to everything we can celebrate and oh boy! we dread all the preparations that go with it.


What makes preparation a sucess? it's not extravagance, it's not abundance, it's not luxurious things - it's DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS..  They usually don't cost much, they can be easy to prepare, they just require a bit of planning and proven time and again,, it brings smile on faces of our loved ones!!

FAMILY CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER  

- These simple home made name cards, the little chocolate candies and the fancy napkin fold made this family christmas dinner so warm.

- The choco bundles also had home printed personal Christmas greetings

- The dinner menu was also printed at home.

FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY JAPANESE DINNER 

- Simple Japanese menu prepared in Bento boxes

- Home made japanese lamps with home printed greetings in japanese characters     

- We also printed Haikus of personal birthday greetings in every cove

Printed Haikus on home made lamps.

Oh, i loved this gift because the wrapping was so nice. It was simple cookies inside.

Prince William and Kate : We'll manage without butlers or servants

"His father famously employs almost 150 staff to cater for his every need, but Prince William has insisted he and Kate Middleton have no intention of taking on butlers or household staff when they begin married life in April...The couple believe that sharing their home with servants would ruin the intimacy of their relationship". 

   

I am very impressed with the Prince.  I've witnessed big and busy families ably perform the household duties and combine it with their professional and social duties and still have happy family and successful personal lives. It is not impossible. However, it is also just as possible to have a modest staff and enjoy even greater family intimacy..,  but i can't blame the Prince aversion to household staff- many factors we all know too well from their much publicised lives pushed him to make such choice. But may I insist that the idea of having butlers and servants should not be seen as a threat to family intimacy. 

Being a home manager, fostering and protecting family life and intimacy is my first and only duty, from which comes all the hosts of household tasks - preparing great meals, maintaining a clean and cozy home, providing crisp and good smelling linen and clothing on time, making sure the cars have gas and are well maintained.. and keeping the service staff happy so the family experience peace and warmth and privacy of their own homes. My service motto is - "an efficient service experience that is not seen nor heard". It is a disservice to the family when instead of facilitating their lives, we bacome an added problem because of petty squabbles, gossiping, bad service. 

At the end of each day when my client says "Thank you" with a smile on her face gives me so much satisfaction. Its a job well done, tomorrow is another day. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/8207022/Well-manage-without-butlers-or-servants-say-Prince-William-and-Kate-Middleton.html

THANKS 2010, HELLO 2011!!

Thanks to all of you who visit my almost eternally uneventful 2010 blog!!  The positive side of it is that it has been a real busy end of year....   okay, okay - busy looking for something to be busy about hahaha..  Many things to thank the One above..

2011!!  I so look forward to this. Each time I seem to be more prepared and excited about the prospects of the new year -  London Home Management Conference in March, an Australian Home Management Update course probably in March or July, a cleaning expo in Shanghai, a family oriented training program to develop for the domestic workers, a community project to help moms and women of my city.. whew!!  and Yes, a more eventful blogging.

Now let's get to work!! A Happy and Blessed New Year  to all!!