DIY | Dr Donna Chow

Mindon celebrates One

24/07/2019 by Dr Donna Chow 3 Comments

It took me a while to post an update. For the past few months, I have been busy decluttering the house, caring for the little ones and coping with a job change. Glad that I have finally found some time to post an event which happened quite some time back - Mindon's first birthday celebration! As mentioned three years back in my earlier post on Kandon's first birthday, one year old parties are often a major celebration for most mummies, myself included. I hope to make it as memorable as possible for Mindon even though he may not recall much of what has taken place on this day. Photos will be a Click to read more

Chicken Buttercream Sponge Cake

27/10/2018 by Dr Donna Chow 1 Comment

I have been very busy for the past few months; hence the lack of update on this blog. My little boy is coming to 40 weeks old. In a matter of 12 weeks, he would be celebrating his first birthday! Therefore, I have been trying to bake a new cake just for him. I have been looking at Google for inspirations of a simple, easy to bake and decorate cake. I am glad my persistence has yielded me some good results after many failed attempts. This was one of the most decent sponge cakes I have baked. You can find another version of the Green Tea Rosette Sponge Cake here. I have since tweaked Click to read more

Simple Pandan Chiffon Cake Recipe

23/01/2018 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

Eversince my baking lesson with Susanne Ng, I have been intrigued by the world of chiffon cakes. It is one of the most basic cake you can master and one of those which calls for the least number of baking ingredients. There are plenty of pandan cake recipes online; I am sure you will find one which you will like. I am sharing my recipe and experience of making my own version of pandan cake here. I like to keep my cake recipe simple. The lesser the number of ingredients the better; that way I do not need to invest in buying too much perishable items. For the cake batter: you will need; Click to read more

Quick & Easy Tutorial: Sew a Bow Tie

18/04/2017 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

Most people have a soft spot for cute little boys donning a big smile and wearing a bow tie. Bow ties are not passe - they are fashionable accessories which will surely catch your attention almost immediately if you wear it the right way. In the medical fraternity, many surgeons, especially the gynaecologists, love bow ties because they don't come in the way of examining a patient, unlike the way a normal neck-tie would. Unfortunately, most people reserve bow ties for formal events, such as gala events and weddings. It's time to change the perception of bow ties - really! Bow ties are only Click to read more

The Three Muttsketeers Animated Show

15/03/2017 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

Sitting (L-R): Heidi, Shirley, Donna. Standing (L-R): Weijia, Elssa

When I first talked about producing a short animation show for The Three Muttsketeers to a friend, she thought I was joking. I thought I should do something to create publicity for my book, and Youtube is one good platform to create awareness as young kids are attracted to moving visuals more than anything else. "Who still read books nowadays?" Came one reply from the same well meaning lady friend. "Look at all these bookstores out there! They are not doing well. In fact, many (with the exception of bookstores which major in textbooks and assessment books) are closing down." Without a Click to read more

Needle Felting a Baby Chick

28/02/2017 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

Needle felting is a new craft I have started to explore in my free time when I am not working as a maid or keeping my little boy entertained and occupied. It is a very simple hobby that doesn't demand too much of my time, and the end product is quite adorable. What's more - you can also purchase the supplies readily from Daiso. I have seen a guy friend showing off his felted pikachu on facebook and he told me he picked up needle felting on You Tube. So, I decided it's time to do one of my own. I chose a baby chick design because this is a Rooster year; and also for other sentimental reasons. Click to read more

DIY baby gate with fabric paint

28/12/2016 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

It has been a while since I spend time doing what I love to do the most - crafting! The idea of sewing a fabric baby gate came to my mind quite some time ago because I couldn't find a solution to block the staircase without installing a semi-permanent structure that will block part of the walkway. This project will work for you if both sides of the walls have something to hook onto. And the best part is you can remove it any time you don't need it. I bought a set of fabric paint from Artfriend. There are two types of such paint - one for light coloured fabric and one for dark coloured Click to read more

How to clean rainbow stains on steel pots

05/08/2016 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

It is a misnomer that stainless steel should be called "stainless". Anyone who has used stainless steel pots and pans would know that after repeated use, you will get rainbow stains on the bottom. These cloudy discoloration can be a result of a combination of high heat from your stove and food residue being stuck to the steel. Here is a kitchen knack which I have discovered online and it works pretty well for me. I use this WMF stainless steel wok for daily stir fry and it is one of my favourite. It has several stains on the bottom and it looks really horrible. No amount of scrubbing Click to read more

How to sew a simple square silk blouse

14/07/2016 by Dr Donna Chow Leave a Comment

I have come across this simple square silk top during one of my shopping trips. And I rather like the fact that it has very simple lines and very comfortable to wear. You can dress it up for a simple night out or dress it down with a pair of jeans. For the purpose of this tutorial, I have followed the dimensions of a sample top that I already have. You can use any soft flowy fabric for this top - I find that silk or satin with a floral pattern works best. However if you are completely new to sewing, you might want to try out a less expensive fabric for this project. Use a tailor chalk Click to read more

Second Blog Giveaway – DIY Breastmilk Keepsake Kit

28/06/2016 by Dr Donna Chow 7 Comments

If you have been active in the circle of mummies on facebook groups, you may have come across the recent fashion of making keepsakes from your very own breastmilk. It has been a trend for new age mothers to send their precious breast milk to faraway lands to make such jewelry - ranging from pendants, earrings, rings, beads and charms. And it costs quite a sum to make one of those. Some mothers in Singapore with entrepreneur spirit in them have also embarked on taking up such breast milk jewelry business, in the hope of cashing in on the bubble while it lasts. Such businesses usually started Click to read more