Save Money by Wearing a Scarf in 25 Ways

A colorful scarf can help people look stylish. Learn how to wear it in 25 ways. You can unleash the potentials in clothes matching and save money.

Benefits of wearing a scarf:

A scarf offers additional warmth and decoration to one’s neck. When you are indoors and feeling hot, you can take it off easily and quickly. Feeling bored at one look? You can change to a new look within a couple of seconds if you are skillful in wearing your scarf.

Another benefit of wearing a scarf is for color matching. A scarf can be in different colors, either plain or assorted, and also in various patterns or themes. If you have a scarf with one whole color block following another one, you can switch color with the same piece by adopting different wearing methods. The YouTube video will demonstrate to you this little magic so that you can learn it for your own use.

Benefits to be a skillful scarf wearer:

Even a plain colored scarf will look wonderful if you can wear it in different ways. It is unnecessary to stuff your wardrobe with a lot of clothing items for a new look. Also, you can save money for clothing. So, keep practicing to be a skillful wearer. The effort will pay off and you could always look refreshing with just one scarf.

Author’s note:

One effective way in money saving is to maximize the use of the current items and buy less. The bonus for this practice is that we can be more environmental friendly. If you are interested in doing good to yourself and the earth, welcome to click into the two articles below to learn more on what we can do in our daily life.

Stop Being a Shopaholic

How to save water at home by developing some good habits

Awesome Chocolate Exhibitions

Many people like eating chocolate, but you can also feast your eyes when it is molded into awesome shapes. Explore and enjoy the creativity unleashed.

Chocolate could be a wonderful ingredient for arts and crafts. Besides enjoying the delicious taste, let's imagine walking into a Chocolate Wonderland. The visual impact could be stunning. If you can’t think of such an amusing place in your mind, take a look at my photos and enjoy the fantastic journey.

Time: February 2011
Venue: Harbour City

Chocolate Manneken Pis
(Doesn’t he look like the one in Belgium?
Only that he looks naughtier and fatter. LOL.)

Dress

(Wear me before eating,” the dress said. Ladies, are you dare to give it a try?)

Clothes

(Men may like to see their women wearing this on Valentine’s Day.)

Time: 1-19/2/2012
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour, Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre.
Theme: Chocoholic’s Surreal World Art Exhibition

Train

Sheep

The trunk of a tree

Huge bird cage (This is the largest chocolate artwork in the exhibition. Decorated by Chocolate butterflies, the cage is big enough for visitors to get inside, stand straight and take photos.)

Mushrooms

Bunny

Horse

A weird clock

All the huge chocolates artworks were exhibited at different periods in Harbour City or Ocean Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. When you visit Hong Kong, don’t forget to check this big shopping mall see if there is any new exhibition available.

After touring the Chocolate Wonderland, why not create one in your life? If you are interested in making your own chocolate artworks, start with a small size one for it will be easier to handle. What you need to learn is molding. Master the skill so that you could mold chocolate into many creative shapes. The finished product will be unique and serve well as a wonderful gift to others.

Author’s note:

Some people may find the chocolate artworks in this article too large and dare not take some bites for fear of toothache afterwards. If so, you may like to enjoy food and drink in a normal portion but with delicate decoration. Click into the two photo links below and let Charlie Brown fulfill your wish.

A Lovely Charlie Brown Coffee

Charlie Brown Tiramisu Cup

Lantern Carnival in 2012

This year the Lantern Festival is on the 6th of February. I saw many Chinese style big lanterns in display and took some photos to share with you.

Every year a lantern carnival will be held at Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which is the Chinese Valentine’s Day. The default location is next to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. This time the displayed area is larger than usual, extending to Sausbury Garden as well.

The lantern carnival keeps changing theme, for example, the Chinese Zodiac has been adopted for 2012. Visitors could see big lanterns of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. My photos are arranged according to the standard sequence – begins with rat and ends with pig.

1.      Rat

2.      Ox

3.      Tiger

4.      Rabbit

5.      Dragon (2012 is the year of Dragon. Its lantern is the biggest. 
What a pity for not capturing the whole lantern in one picture!)

6.      Snake

7.      Horse

8.      Goat

9.      Monkey

10.  Rooster

11.  Dog

12.  Pig

Besides the Chinese Zodiac lanterns, visitors will also see big lanterns of some famous Chinese characters that symbolizing wealth and good fortune.

Fish (The Chinese name has the same pronunciation as another Chinese word, surplus. Thus, people will bless one another with the symbolic meaning “surplus every year”.)

The God of Wealth

The Chinese believe that seeing peacock fully opened will bring good luck to its viewers.

Wish you a prosperous year of Dragon and a happy Valentine’s Day!

Author’s note:

Big lanterns are eye-catching. Special flower arrangements and mall or shop displays are also peculiar enough to attract people’s attention and provoke their enthusiasm to take photos. Click into the two articles below and feast your eyes with amusing beauties.

When Animals and Flowers Fall in Love Together

Toy Story Franchise and Collection

Self-Improvement Projects

(Let’s plan with the Hello Kitty Calendar and launch some self-improvement projects.)

At the beginning of Year 2012, do you have any New Year’s Resolutions in mind for self-improvement? Get some and learn how to launch them properly.

My New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Lose weight, 10 pounds in 2012.
2. Watch a movie every Sunday (at least 53 movies) in 2012
3. Read one and a half book per week (78 books) in 2012
4. Discover a funny photo daily to make my day.

Haven’t come up with any resolution? Why? Some people don’t believe that their resolutions could come true. Others find the resolutions are more or less the same every year and it’s too boring to go on.

Failures to realize the resolutions are discouraging indeed. However, working out the desirable resolutions are important because they give hints on the aspects that are annoying you, for example, some areas you are not doing well enough or with great anxiety.

To introduce positive changes into our life, we need to work out the wanted resolutions and know how to make them real. Below are some suggestions for your adoption.

Stop making vague wishes

Examples are good health, get inspiration, have enjoyment, learn new things and be happy. When wishes are vague, they won’t take shape in your mind, but dissolve in air easily as if they never existed. We need to be specific and spell out the details. Think about the result and learn the paths to attain it. Search and acquired the knowledge needed. The effort will pay off as your wishes will become clearer and last longer.

Be quantitative

Set time and quantity for your resolution and don’t do these in a casual manner.  Learn the lessons from the past and if, previous experience is unavailable for reference, check the norms to decide on the optimal level. With quantity specified, it is easier to monitor our performance, to find out our strengths and weaknesses, and make appropriate adjustments earlier to improve efficiency and then the progress.

Be realistic and creative

Many people have their daily schedule already stuffed with activities and so, adding new resolutions could overburden the self. Always consider the resources you can afford for each resolution. Be realistic and creative in adjusting your agenda. To avoid overburden and unwanted failures, we could reorganize our current schedule and delete the meaningless activities to steal time for more desirable achievements.

Keep reminding, measuring, recording and monitoring

Print out the resolutions in big words and post them in your room as a reminder to kill your forgetfulness. Since many resolutions demand trial and error, and continuous efforts, we have to work patiently throughout the year.

To lose weight, you may start a new diet and exercise 30 minutes daily. Remember getting a bathroom scale to measure your body weight from the start and keep recording in a regular basis. The data will tell you how effective your effort was. Introduce a new strategy if the current one doesn’t work well enough.

Ask someone to send you encouragements

Have a more serious commitment by sharing your resolutions with others. They may not join in doing the same thing, but their

concern and encouragement may wipe away the loneliness that often tempts people to forsake during the course.

Invite participation from others

It is always nice to have companions in one’s pursuit, but it’s unnecessary to stick to one person only. For example, invite different people to jog with you or listen to your book report at deadline to meet your reading target. Enjoy sharing and the working process could be pleasanter than you imagined.

It’s never too late to think of new resolutions and make an effort to realize them. Hope everyone could succeed and have a prosperous year.

Author’s note:

We have a lot to learn in our lifetime.  Never be contented and don't allow ourselves turning down opportunities that could ease our life.

How to Study Better

How to Start Living at Your Own Expense?

Sending You a Christmas Angel

Want to send out many blessings at Xmas in a happy and less costly way? You can cheer up many people with a Christmas angel. The DIY steps are simple.

The Christmas angel is 2-7/8” tall. This is the front view.

This is the rear side.

Materials for the DIY:

1. A cardboard with one side gold or silver in color (Choose whatever colors you like)
2. A die cut pattern
3. A pair of scissors or cutter
4. A string (optional, for hanging purpose)

If you want a bigger angel to carry more blessings, prepare the die cut pattern according to the measurement stated in the above photo and use photocopying to enlarge it. Of course, you can do some calculations and enlarge the angel directly while drawing out its die cut pattern.

DIY Steps of the Christmas angel:

1.    Draw out the die cut pattern.
2.    Apply the die cut pattern on a cardboard.
3.    Cut out the angel accordingly.
4.    Write your blessings at the rear side.
5.    Fold the sheet to form a standing angel. (Or let it stay flat for the mailing to the distant acquaintances)
6.    Add a string if you like.

Write your unique blessings in words or drawings and send out the Christmas angels to your beloved. It’s a good piece of holiday decorative item at home and at office.

When Christmas is over, don’t throw away the angels. Unfold them and store well. The flat sheet makes storage easier. You can also use the flat angel sheet as a bookmark. It’s always heart-warming to read blessings at the back, a handy remainder on having love and warmth always.

It’s worthwhile to invest on this inexpensive and easy-to-make gift. Don’t miss the golden opportunity to send love to others and yourself. Wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy always!

Author’s note:

The Christmas angel is easy to make. If you want to offer others DIY items that are more sophisticated but have a limited budget only, bead jewelry in a unique gift box showcase may be a good option. Read the three articles below and learn the simple DIY processes.

Eight Reasons to Make Bead Ring and How to Diy

How to DIY Bead Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings

DIY Christmas Gift Box Showcase

Old Hong Kong in the 46th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo

A dynamic city keeps changing; old styles become history. Want to see the old Hong Kong? Don’t miss the 46th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo then.

Old Expo (miniature)

A brief history of Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo
 
Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo started in 1938. It aimed at promoting the Hong Kong industries and brands, and trading. Due to the Japanese invasion, the expo was canceled in 1941 and restarted in 1948.

Owing to the lack of venue, the 2nd cancellation happened in 1974. The expo came back in 1994, but just for that year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its organizer. A solid return took place until 1998.

From 2004 to 2011, all the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo were held in the Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Nowadays the expo looks more like an annual big marketplace. It attracts many locals coming here to do their shopping at a discounted price. Tourists may find the special-themed exhibition more appealing.

Hong Kong Memories Miniature Exhibition

Not every expo has a special-themed exhibition, but this year there is the Hong Kong Memories Miniature Exhibition. Visitors could see over 50 miniatures made by 11 Hong Kong Artists. Those miniatures show the 1960s to 1970s life in Hong Kong and the look of the old expo. Though the exhibition occupies very little space, the miniatures tell a lot about the old cultures of Hong Kong. Many visitors enjoy touring around and taking photos. Some elders take this golden opportunity to tell their grand children the earlier life. Below are the photos I took for some miniatures.

Chinese herbal shop

Chinese furniture shop

Chinese wedding accessory shop

A rickshaw

Public housing for low income residents

Old style buildings

Grocery store

The 46th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo will last for 24 days, from Dec. 10, 2011 to the 2nd of January, 2012. If you are staying in Hong Kong within the period, welcome to come for this event. The entry fee is HKD10 and there is no additional fee for the special-themed exhibition that locates in the midst of the venue.

When you tour around, don’t forget to enjoy the free trials of foods and drinks offered by some stalls. Discount coupons are available in the shopping guide. Keep the guide and the entry ticket for the “See and Guess”. Participants need to guess the total retail price of the products in a showcase at the Lucky Draw Station. Pick the correct answer and enjoy the lucky draw. The prize, big or small, would serve as a nice souvenir.

Tourist could try many local side dishes in the food plaza. There are also stalls selling different kinds of products, a good place to shop for souvenirs.

Egg custard tart (chestnut flavor)

The opening hours are 11:00am – 10:00pm (Monday to Sunday) except the 12th of December, 2011 (to 1:00am) and the 2nd of January, 2012 (to 8:00pm). There will be no ticket selling and admission one hour before the exact closing time. Welcome to visit this expo. Enjoy yourself.

Author’s note:

For the days without any special event, Hong Kong has many places worthy of visiting. The three articles below will give you some ideas on what to add in your itinerary for your Hong Kong tour.

Hong Kong Travel Guide: A Relaxing Day in Mui Wo

Hong Kong Travel Guide: Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence

Hong Kong Travel Guide: Nan Lian Garden

Exercises for Fun and Good Health

A lot of people sit too much and lack of exercises daily. Our health may be at risk. We can save our family by doing some fun exercises together.

Many parents are busy at work; whereas, their children could be sitting too much to study, for TV and video games. They seldom find time exercising in the weekdays. Lack of exercises in the long run could cause health problems. To lower the health risk, kids and adults are suggested making good use of the weekend to do some exercises together. Below are ten recommendations that could help people have fun and maintain good health simultaneously.

1. Jogging

Jog in the neighborhood, in the park, and countryside. Whenever possible, choose somewhere with beautiful sight to make this activity more enjoyable.

2. Running

Some stadiums are open to the public for days without event. Enjoy the explosive force by racing in the lanes.

Running in the beach is also a fun thing to do. Run heartily. The sand will cushion your fall.

3. Hiking

Climb the mountains and get close to the Nature for some wonderful discoveries, for example, beautiful plants, interesting animals, unique rocks and remarkable seasonal change of scenery.

4. Kite flying

Move your body and wrestle with the strong wind to have your kite flying high up in the sky.

5. Cycling

With rentals and various kinds of bicycle available, the whole family could enjoy cycling together. Adopt cycle rickshaw if any family member has balancing problem and make sure the qualified members take turn spending some time on the rider seat to exercise their body.

6. Swimming

Go to the beach for a swim in summer. As some swimming pools open all the year round, don’t make any excuse for no swimming. Create some fun by having competitions.

If you don’t know any swim style (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly), swim with a ring buoy. The most important point is to move your limbs and jump in the water because these exercises are good to one’s lung and heart in particular.

7. Dancing

There are many different kinds of dance. Simply choose a style that allows the whole family dancing together. Enjoy and follow the music to shake your body heartily.

8. Rope skipping

If you have a backyard or garden, clear some space for rope skipping. You can arrange competitions, for either individual or multi-players mode. Who is the first person to fail? Who is the best in one rope skipping? Keep jumping and have fun.

9. Basketball

You don’t need two teams of five players to have fun. Exercise by throwing the ball through the basketball hoop. Move your body aggressively to steal the ball from other’s hand.

10. Soccer

If kids are not tall enough to enjoy basketball, soccer will be a good substitute. Encourage kids to run with the ball, chase after it and try their best to kick a goal.

Pick from the aforementioned or try other sports, always play hard to fully absorb in the exercise to derive the greatest joy. Fun can always go parallel with good health if you choose well and participate in the activity wholeheartedly.

Author’s note:

Summer or winter, there are many appropriate exercises for fun and good health. Play hard to lose weight and be free from obesity and its related health risks. The articles below will give you loads of ideas on what one can do, even for rainy days at home.

10 Summer Beach Sports for Fun and Weight Loss

10 Winter Sports to Lose Weight and Have Fun

Exercise at Home From Head to Toe