I’ve been thinking of making some custom rubber stamps for the office for the office accounts and the like. Whilst some of the rubber stamps we use can be found commercially, I’ve found that the sizes tend to be too small. If you want to label a document a draft or confidential, a little titchy stamp just doesn’t do it. Not for impression sake anyway!

The other thing I might consider are the self inking rubber stamps. These are convenient so we don’t have run around looking for stamp pads. I wonder if they’ll do it in green though which we use sometimes. Green ink is not all that common or easy to come by!

I may have to pay a visit to my regular rubber stamp maker in Pudu soon.

A while ago, I pondered on whether to buy store brand products. Store branded products are products bearing the name of the store instead of a regular more well knowned brand. Some examples are those from Giant or Tesco or Carrefour.

Sometimes, in Tesco for example, you may find a few categories of store branded products ranging from Tesco Value to Tesco Fine Foods to organic to luxury lines. I have not seen it here yet, but I’ve seen luxury house brands in foreign supermarkets. The quality is really there and its cheaper than buying the actual brands.

I noticed while shopping at Tesco last week that the manufacturer for a house brand brand of biscuits was actually Hwa Tai the well known biscuit maker! The biscuits were also much cheaper although I’m not sure how it tastes.

I reckon I’d shop for some foods (if I can locate the manufacturer on the pack and find it reputable) but I won’t buy electronics or air purifiers simple because I’d rather pay for something more reputable for them. But I wonder, are there house branded electronics?

I was reading Petaling Street when I came across a notice for an Aussino warehouse sale on shoppingnsales. What would we do without their sale broadcasts eh?

Image from Shoppingnsales

I remembered going to an Aussino warehouse sale quite a few years back when Aussino was quite new in the market. I remember buying quite a few sets of bed linen for myself and for the family. The prices were quite good – they were about RM100 for 300 threadcount sheets. I saw some commentators asking if they had mattresses. I did not know Aussino sold matteress much less discount recliners.

However based on my personal experience I’ve found that Aussino sheets have reduced in quality since I first started using them. I started using Aussino when they were only available online from Australia. It was so much fun ordering and receiving the sheets in the mail.

I’ve since found that whilst the higher quality sheets from Aussino (those of 300 threadcount and above) are nice, as are the embroidered versions, the cheaper lines like the Inspire or printed ones aren’t as worth buying. The quality of the material is rougher and it does not last as long. I have a couple of sets and I don’t even want to use it anymore as it feels so stiff and scratchy compared to other bedsheets I own. Even if they say they have 250-300 threadcount, I find they aren’t as soft or smooth.

I don’t know if its a quality issue or if its just the way it is but I don’t think I’ll be hitting up the Aussino warehouse sale this time.

When I came across an upcoming Bosch household applicances sale (link), I was curious about it. I haven’t seen many household applicances sale of late.

What puzzled me however was that there were no items stated in the ad. Now if I’m not mistaken, Bosch sells electrical items not kitchen fittings like discount faucets. So, I guess we are looking at toasters and ovens and coffee makers and the like.

Still, I think it would have been good if the ad mentioned some examples of what was being offered or at least if there is a picture showing what Bosch sells. Not everyone knows that Bosch is connected to electrical items.

On the other hand, I always thought they were involved with drills

When I was looking to furnish my home, one of the places I popped by was Barang Barang. I used to be very amused by the name which in Malay means “things things” but to an extent it is true for what Barang Barang sells are things and more things for the home.

I like their teak furniture which they have in plenty and I particularly like cupboards like this one:-

or interesting book shelves or an interesting low coffee table… the possibilities and choices were endless! They even had a sleep number bed frame of heavy teak that I would have loved to have if not for the hefty price tag!

Yep, design and quality does come at a price and the price is high at Barang Barang. I have often walked in there even during sales to check it out but have never bought anything… yet. Who knows? Maybe I’ll find something worth buying at the Valentine’s Day sale? (Though why Barang Barang would want to tie in with Valentine’s Day is beyond my comprehension)

In Malaysia, Barang Barang is located at Ikano Power Centre next to Harvey Norman. Happy browsing and may you walk out of Barang Barang with a lot of barang barang … haha….

Ever notice how cyclical sales are? And ever notice how there are never any sales when you want them?

For example, I’m terribly bored of my house lightings and am thinking of changing them to nicer lamps but try as I might, I can’t find any current sales on lights whether discount bathroom lights or living room lamps! At the moment, based on shopping n sales, its all electrical and clothes sales… where are the household sales?!

Based on previous experience, sales for household and kitchen items come before festive periods. This is when most people decide to renovate or change the look of their houses. I’m just wondering how prevalent these sales are going to be this year.

The last time there was a recession, warehouse sales took Malaysia by storm. Now that warehouse sales are practically the norm, are they going to be held more often or are retailers going to stop warehouse sales altogether so they can make more from their existing stock? It remains to be seen, and I’ll keep watching out for my lighting sales!

When I was doing up our new office, we had a bit of a problem with the windows. The windows we had were high and I was not for curtains because of maintenance. The usual alternative is of course venetian blinds.

However, when I went to enquire about making these venetian blinds, the cost floored me. Having to work on a tight budget, I was at a bit of a loss until my eyes fell on bamboo blinds. Bamboo blinds for the office?

Why not!? And why not indeed!

The blinds I found were ready made and only needed to be drilled into the wall to be hung. The length was just right, and it gave the office a nice feel which is unlike the usual clinical look of offices. Also, it is rather sheer so it let it quite a lot of natural light yet keeps out the sun’s glare.

So, the next time you are thinking of a cheaper option for office windows, think outside the box and try bamboo blinds. It does make a difference!

With a wedding in the family (not mine!) it is only inevitable that the question of “Where are your wedding photos?” come up from time to time. The thing is that some photographers take the photos but charge a separate price to prepare an album. I’m not referring to those who go with bridal studio packages. Those are a different kettle of fish and you usually end up with a wedding photo album so heavy you need a crane to lift it out of its box. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but you might pull a muscle if you aren’t careful.

So, when I passed by a photo store one day and saw this digital frame in the window display, I immediately thought it would make a great gift! All the couple has to do is upload their wedding photos into the digital frame, and play it back for anyone who wants to view it. It is also ultra portable unlike a giant album that is so heavy no one would voluntarily pick it up.

I think it was retailing for RM100+ in one of the major photo stores in town for smaller sizes and RM200+ for the larger ones. I can’t quite remember. But this is reminding me to check it out!

Last week while I was at Amcorp Mall looking for the Crocs sale, I came across a store called Romantika. It is at the concourse area as you enter and sells all sorts of household stuff at really cheap prices. There was a lot of decorative stuff in the likes of pictures and lamps in flowery designs mostly comprising roses.

If you are looking to furnish your house in an “English Rose Garden” theme, this would be a good place to go to get inexpensive items. However, that was not what caught my eye. What really caught my eyes was the array of Christmas themed plates towards the back of the store!

My phone battery was dead so I could not take a picture, but they had plates with snowmen and santa clauses on them and plates in red and green with holly jolly berries… gaudy but hey! Its perfect for Christmas themed parties!

I was in a bit of a hurry but I”ll go back and take a look. Maybe look up a couple of egg nog recipes online and pick up a themed mug or two and have a holly jolly Christmas this year! If you are looking for Christmas themed crockery, try going to Amcorp mall and see if they have what you are looking for.

If you are still itching to shop after the Christmas, Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day, well, now you can at the IKEA SALE!

The IKEA sale is on from 28 Feb – 16 Mar 2008. I need a few things so I’ll be popping by to check out the deals.

Oh and IKEA Friends members or IKEA Credit Card members will have a SPECIAL SALE PREVIEW on 28 Feb with extra special deals.

So guess where I’ll be this 28 Feb?