A Mad Science Party!

March 20, 2013 · By ·

K had his first Mad Science Party experience for his birthday this year. The last birthday party we had for K, with friends, was when he was four. Surrounded by excited 3-5 year olds running amok in the estate, having to break up fights along the way, and needing to calm an over-stimulated K who threw a tantrum halfway during the party, was not exactly my idea of a great time.

Not for me anyhow.

But I am sure the kids enjoyed the party, I suppose. After all time slaving over the computer to plan for party games, creating materials to print and laminate, sourcing for decent things to fill the goodie bags. What about the cake? I am now convinced that pretty fondant cakes look really fancy and pretty, but the taste? Bland and dry.

I told myself this year that K’s birthday will be really simple, just a cake and some goodie bags. So when Mad Science got in touch with me recently, I was thrilled to be able to have a party for K, all without any hassle on my end.

All I needed to get for the party was the cake.

MS 1The red and blue thing on the chocolate banana cake is a $9.90 plastic spiderman topper. Not fondant, the kid doesn’t care for it. Who eats fondant anyway?

 

So, the key highlight of the party has to be the arrival of the Mad Scientist from Mad Science and her travelling laboratory of beakers filled with colorful liquids and intriguing gadgets.

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Have you ever been in a room with 23 kids who are fascinated and engaged with the activities for a full 1 hour 15 minutes? Then read on to see what went on in K’s party that could have enthralled them from the start to finish.

K’s Air Blast Party from Mad Science included numerous interactive experiments, intriguing chemical reactions and hands-on activities  :-

  • The first experiment was with a boiled egg (Eggbert) and a glass beaker (his house); Eggbert the two inch Mad Science assistant can’t get into his house because he has overeaten! How did the Mad Scientist get Eggbert into his house? The science of air pressure is used to solve his predicament.

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MS 7comTadah!

  • The second experiment was with styrofoam. Peggy’s apartment is a mess (of styrofoam), how can we help her to clean up? The kids learnt about chemical reactions when Mad Scientist dramatically shrink the mess to help Peggy clean up

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MS 10Oh look! The mess has shrunk!

 

  • Create puffs of vortices with vortex generators! The Birthday boy gets to blow a candle the Mad Science way, using a vortex generator

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How about using a vortex generator for a cup on K’s head?

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I think it will be more fun to get that cup off the Mad Scientist’s head!

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  • Can an ordinary washing machine tube sing? With the science of air pressure, it can!

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  • Can any one challenge the Mad Scientist to blow a big airbag with just one breath?

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  • Can you make 1 ping pong ball, then 2 float? These boys managed to do it.

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  • The kids learnt how to catch their own shadow

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  • As an an add on to the Mad Science Air Blast party, the Wonders of Dry-Ice give all of K’s classmates a chance to taste the Big Burp (sublimated carbon dioxide smoke), play with dry ice foam and get a Mad Science shower.

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  • And finally, the kids made their own goodie to take home, icky gooey slime and learnt the science behind making it

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My review of the Mad Science Party?

Mad Science will be the highlight of any birthday party for kids between 4-12 years old. The story telling method used to teach science concepts was easy to understand, fun and engaging. K’s classmates at the party participated in at least 3 interactive activities, so they were not just spectators who watched the experiments.

And the result of the Mad Science Party?

There was clear excitement in the air after the party ended. I think the best time to have a Mad Science Party is in the late afternoon, when the kids have had their naps (which was what we did).

Do be prepared for a room full of thrilled and chatty kids who will be admiring their gooey slime and smiley teachers at the end of the session :)

As for K’s verdict of his Mad Science Birthday Party?

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“My party is AWESOME! Mummy I want have Mad Science again for my next birthday party!”

To top off a fantastic Party, Mad Scientist presented K with his own Mad Science Goodie Bag.

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What was in there?

There were 7 toys in the Mad Science goodie bag that will stick, spin and fly

– Helix Flyer

– Spin Disc (mini frisbee with its wrist launcher)

– Flip Top (watch this spin)

– Polymer Putter (splatter it and let it get back to it’s original shape)

– Soak and Grow (this grows 6x after soaking in water overnight)

– Mad Science Large Sticker Sheet

– Mad Science Tattoos compilation

Screen Shot 2013 03 20 at 3 24 50 AM

Sounds good? This very same Mad Science Goodie Bag worth $12 each is up for grabs, 50 sets to giveaway for readers at catch-fortywinks.com. All you need to do is to pop over to Mad Science Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/madsciencesingapore and LIKE their page. The people at Mad Science will send you a private message through Facebook, if you are one of the winners of the goodie bag. Giveaway to close by 22 April 2013.

K had tremendous fun with the toys in the Mad Science Goodie Bag, I am sure your kids will too. So do pop over to the Mad Science Page now to participate in this giveaway!

For more information about having a Mad Science Birthday Party, visit their website on their party Information and FAQa.

 

Disclosure – K’s Mad Science Party was sponsored by Mad Science Singapore, but all opinions in this post are my own.

 

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That Takes the Cake!

June 17, 2012 · By ·

1706 07

What is that?

That ingredient K was sniffing suspiciously was the same ingredient that caught my attention from the invite that was sent to the SMB inbox from Karen of rolleyes.com.sg

The green stuff is Zucchini, grated Zucchini to be exact, one of the key ingredients used in a hands-on baking class to make Zucchini Chocolate Cake, a session organized by Rolleyes. Rolleyes.com.sg is a new online platform which provides an visual and audio feast of gourmet cuisine through their presentation of high quality videos of gourmet cuisine and behind-the-scenes preparation of cuisines by selected master chefs of the culinary world on their site.

I have to admit that even for a vege-lover like me, Zucchini Chocolate Cake did not sound very appetizing at first. But since I have embarked on healthier alternatives to include more vegetables in my breakfast the last one month, I was convinced that having vegetables in a cake will be a really a good idea :)

At first, I planned to let hb to take on the responsibility of baking while I would be the photographer, watch him prepare, while I kept an eye on K at the same time. But when the boy voiced his interest to help daddy, I thought that hb could do with an extra pair of hands to clean up any potential mess that the boy might make. But were we surprised by his enthusiasm through the whole session!

1706 03So gamed to put on the apron

 

1706 05Making an effort to watch Chef Judy’s demonstration

 

1706 09Chef Judy of Creative Culinaire working on her demo

 

1706 10Creaming the butter with the mixer

 

While the boy and dad were busy at work creaming the butter with brown sugar and adding the eggs into the batter. I went to snap some photos of fellow SMBs busy at work.

1706 15Delphine’s tossing the zucchini mixture, while Madeline‘s busy sifting the flour

 

1706 14Susan and Sandra testing the mixer

 

1706 16K’s turn to toss the chocolate chips, grated zucchini, walnuts and some flour.

 

1706 13I am certain that this mixer was partly responsible in sustaining his long attention span through the whole session.

 

1706 17Zucchini’s not so bad when there’s lots of chocolate chips in the mix!

 

Here’s the recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Cake by Chef Judy of Creative Culinaire :

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Ingredients (for a 16 cupcake tin)

230g           butter

172g           light brown sugar

1/2 tsp        salt

3                  eggs

1 tsp            vanilla essence

308g           self raising flour

1 tsp            baking soda

224g           grated zucchini

90g             chocolate chip

50g             toasted walnuts

 

Method

1.  Cream butter and light brown sugar and salt till light. Add in the eggs, a little at a time.

2.  Toss the chocolate chips, walnuts and zucchini with about 1/2 cup of the flour. Mix in the remaining of the flour into the butter mixture.

3.  Fold in the zucchini mixture. Bake in oven till cooked at 175C

4. When cool glaze with chocolate.

 

This is what happens, when you leave a 5 year old with the task of glazing the cake with melted chocolate.

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Ta-dah! Our Zucchini chocolate cakes are done! Kind of messy but truly scrumptious nonetheless.

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1706 19(L to R) Madeline of MadPsychMum, Chef Judy of Creative Culinaire, Sandra of Sanses, Delphine of In the Wee Hours, Susan of A Juggling Mom, Moi and K.

 

It was an enjoyable baking session for us today, all thanks to rolleyes.com.sg and Chef Judy of Creative Culinaire.

Do check out www.rolleyes.com.sg for high quality videos on gourmet food and behind-the-scenes, cooking tips and recipes from chefs and the everyday home cook and a comprehensive restaurant directory for food lovers.

 

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5 Ways to Dress Better

April 2, 2012 · By ·

‘While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence — which, I believe, does make the woman.’ – Mary Kay Ashe

Being a WAHM does give me a lot of excuse not to bother about my appearance, since more than 50% of my time on weekdays are spent at home. Nonetheless, what about those times when I have to leave the house to meet people? Regardless, if it is a social appointment or a business-related appointment, appearance do matters. At least for me it does, as this is coming from a reformed clothes-horse.

A well-tailored dress and killer-heels really does wonders for my confidence, as I step out of the house feeling that I can take on the world 😉

You don’t have to spend a fortune to look good. Here are some tips and smart investments that will be able to help one dress better for confidence:

 

1. Know your body shape

Styling rules are not generic! What we see in fashion magazines are mostly for reed-thin and lanky models. What may look great on the model in the magazine, may not look as good when it is on us.

No one has a perfect body, however we can learn what to wear and what to avoid to best flatter our body shape. So as to create an illusion of a well-balance figure.

Style is not about your size, it is all about proportions. So what is your body shape? Check out this site to determine your shape.

I am of a petite frame, have a boyish figure with little curves. My sister on the other hand, has a more curvy body with broad shoulders.

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2. Choose classics, all time looks

The classic little black dress is a must-have. Choose one with a neckline that complements your shoulders or an empire waist that draws attention away from your waistline.

Use simple jewelry to jazz up the look. As I am petite, I try to stay away from the big, over-powering prints and patterns that will overwhelm my frame. Instead, will go for fitted shapes and soft fabrics. Also keeping my style streamlined, so as not to cut the body in half.

Tip5

Don’t mix styles, less is more. Try not to have romantic, sporty, bold colors, metallic styles all in one outfit. Stay with clean lines, and make only subtle changes with one or two accessories, like a belt or necklace.

Tip4
Sporty‚ safari style camel-coloured shirt-dress, fitted with a narrow belt.

 

3. Dress to suit your personality

Ask yourself these questions; Why do you dress the way you usually do? Do you dress to suit your lifestyle or/and your job? Most of the time we wear a certain style because we feel comfortable in it, and it fits into our lifestyles and job roles.

Looking great and giving you an extra dose of confidence togged out in your unique style is a bonus. You don’t need to be a slave to fashion, as your wardrobe needs to reflect your best self. It is pointless to look fashionable, when you are tugging at the short hems constantly, or wincing in pain wearing shoes with too high heels that you do not feel comfortable in.

Tips6A playful yet chic weekend romper, yet it maintains a classic look. My sister is in her 20s, with no kids and work in advertising, so her style tends to be more chic casual.

 

4. Dress for the season

We may not experience the four seasons in our tropical isle of Singapore. But it is refreshing to take wearable fashion trends to update your wardrobe every 3-4 months.

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This spring 2012 season of peplum skirts and dresses are defined by a short flared ruffle that sits at the natural waist. Useful for hiding little bulges and defines the waist for boyish figures. It creates a feminine touch to an outfit but can also accentuate the hip area. But if you are pear-shaped, do try with smaller peplums and in darker colors.

Tips8
Dress with a grecian style draped top, and belted accordion pleated skirt

 

Pleats, from knife to box and everything in between, are a style staple for spring 2012. It is easy to update your wardrobe with a couple of key trendy and wearable pieces every season.

 

5. Keep everything in proportions

The most common issue that most women face with proportion is being long or short waisted. Here’s how you can measure your proportions and help you look for the right clothing that can correct your proportions.

Use a tape measure, measure the area between the bottom of your rib cage and top of your hip bone.

  • Average-waised – length will be about 2-3 inches
  • Long waisted – length will be 3-4 inches
  • Short waisted – length will be 1-2 inches

The general rule of thumb is when your body part is short, look for a long blouse, if body part is long, look for short.

Tips12

For petite women, blouses that go just past your waist are most flattering. If the top hits right at the hip, it lengthens the mid-drift. Do wear a longer blouse with a short skirt.

Tips11

For curvy petite women, shift dresses, sheaths and sun dresses are great basics to have. These dresses help to elongate the figure and smooth the curves.

For pear shaped women, avoid full or clingy skirts, empire waist and a-line skirts above knee length look the best for pear shapes. For more tips on proportions and dress styles to wear for tall and slim women, and full curvy figured women, refer to this link.

Do you follow fashion trends or do you prefer to go with classic styles? Do share here.

 

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