Here’s my Ikea Detolf glass cabinet

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I finally got my Ikea Detolf glass door cabinet all fixed up! Here’s what it looks like all done up, cleaned and with some decorative items in it.

It is recommended that 2 people handle this due to the glass. Not only does it mean its fragile, its also very heavy! I found it hard to lift one panel by myself.

Fixing it up is a breeze. Just make sure you follow the instructions to the letter. Pay attention to the metal frame and where the side bits face – in or out. We made a mistake with cabinet #2 because of over confidence and ended up having to dismantle the whole thing.

Actually, I’d personally recommend that 3 people handle this if possible. I had dad and bro with me which was useful. There will be times when you need one person holding the glass already fixed, one person holding in place the glass to be fixed and one more putting it in place at the bottom. Its not going to be so easy with only 2 people handling it.

Also, looking at it, like all Ikea items, it looks sturdy but only when you have to fix it up do you know how flimsy it really is. That said, the 2 wooden pieces are very heavy and are what is really holding the cabinet in its place.

The only tool you’ll need is a phillips head (x head) screwdriver. Nothing else, which is great! I love simple fix-ups like that.

The only thing I don’t like is that although there is a hole for a spotlight to be fixed (All the pictures and display units come with the Non spotlight retailing at RM55) when you really want to fix the Non spotlight, you’ll find:

  • the hole is too small for the spotlight to fit though. Its likely only for the wires.
  • there is no hole for the screws holding the spotlight in place. You’ll have to drill the holes in.

I’d have preferred that the top panel come with little holes for the screws so I can just fix up the spotlight without having to drill extra holes. This is especially because I don’t have a drill and will now have to wait till my Dad’s free to help me out.

So, Ikea, do take note of this! The black-brown wooden panels are a new design. It used to be beech. Otherwise, its a display cabinet that’s value for money. At RM199 for tempered glass all round, its a steal!

Kate Moss for Topshop

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Supermodel Kate Moss has teamed up with UK high street fashion store Top Shop to launch a special collection inspired and designed by her – Kate Moss for TopShop.

This follows in the footsteps of other celebrities – Madonna and Stella McCartney to name two. It promises lots of attention and sales for Topshop and probably marks a comeback of sorts for Kate Moss who we last heard had been dropped for many advertising campaigns due to substance abuse.

This collection premiered yesterday May 1 2007 amid much hype in London. I took a browse of the stuff over on Topshop’s website. Now remember, Topshop in the UK is pretty much a high street brand, unlike in Malaysia where its considered semi-high end due to its outrageous pricing.

In England, the prices are considered pretty normal high street which translated to Malaysia would mean Padini or Giordano. The only difference is that we won’t get Kate Moss for Padini, that’s for sure!

These are a few things that caught my eye from her collection and their prices:

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Don’t mind the mumsy flower dress. I don’t know why I seem attracted to those sort of dressses lately. The other items in her collection aren’t anything great I felt. The tops were mostly Tees and the bottoms mostly hotpants or skinny jeans. All of which would fit Kate Moss to a T but may not fit the average size 12-14 woman.

I rather like the clutch though. I’ve been shopping for one so this caught my eye immediately. I can’t imagine that it will be coming to our shores so I won’t hold my breath waiting.

Topshop has limited purchases of each item to 5 per person only. This is to prevent resales via ebay and other portals. As this is limited edition I guess the prices might soar above retail if there is enough hype generated around the world for the items. Now, please excuse me while I scour ebay for that clutch.

Ikea Detolf glass display cabinet

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This is what I purchased over the weekend from Ikea.

I’d been looking for a display cabinet for the longest while. Since last year in fact, when I first moved house.

When we browsed the Ikea catalogue, my Mom immediately zeroed in on this cabinet and told me to get it. 2 trips to Ikea resulted in her asking me to get it.

However, it was expensive then, at about RM259 or RM299 per cabinet or something along those lines. Yes, I understand its all glass and glass is expensive, but my budget did not permit me. Also, I was afraid that as my condo unit does have strong winds blowing through sometimes, it’d fall over and I’d have nothing but shattered glass on my hands.

When I got the new Ikea Catalog for 2006-2007, I was pleasently surprised to see that the price had dropped to RM199 per cabinet! The prices will remain till 31 August 2007 so when I had a little bit of savings tucked away, I went out and finally decided to get this. Its also because I couldn’t find any other nice looking display cabinets having lots of glass for under RM1,000!

Oh and it now comes in 2 new colours – white and black-brown in addition to the regular beech shade. I opted for black-brown because it fits in with the rest of my furniture. So I’m quite glad I waited to get this – lower price and better colours!

First of all, if you are planning to get this cabinet, make sure you go with at least 2 guy friends. You’ll need them to help you lift the flat pack onto the trolley because it weighs 42kg per piece! You’ll also need to lay your car seats down because it cannot fit into any car boot that I know of. Its about 5’5″ in length. They say this fits even in a Kancil. Well to be honest, I don’t know if it does, but I’d think it would be quite a tight fit!

Second, the spotlights will cost you RM55 for 2. I bought 2 cabinets so its just nice for me. But its a bit sneaky pricing the lights so high when they know full well people will likely buy the lights anyway. Â

I managed to get it into our sedan car by lowering the back of the passenger seat so it lay flat. Also, there were 2 helpful Ikea Trolley help at the loading bay who helped mom and I get it into the car. Else I don’t know how we could have done it! Getting it up the condo was another toughie, but Dad was around to help so we eventually got it into my unit.

Its now lying on the floor because I’m waiting for the 2 day public holiday before I set it up. It needs 2 people to set it up, so I’ll definitely have to enlist some help. I get nervous working with too much glass.

I’ll update once I get it up and my display items in!

Have you washed your brushes today?

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If you use makeup brushes on a daily basis, this is something that’s easy to forget to do.

I use my fingers for eye shadow, but I use a powder brush or kabuki brush for applying loose powder. I also use a blush brush for my blushes and an eyeliner brush for applying gel eyeliners.

Once a week or once a fortnight, I’ll gather up all my brushes and give them a good wash. There are some brush cleaners in the market if you look under companies like MAC and Shu Uemura. However, I use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Yep! The kind you use on your baby. Its formulated to be mild so babies can use it. And if its good enough for baby, its good enough for your brushes. Its also cheap.

  • Wet your brushes. Then soap up your hands with the baby shampoo and gently swirl your brush in your palm. I usually twirl it in a circular motion or in an up and down motion. Do this until your brush head is saturated with the soap.
  • Rinse by swirling in running water until water runs clear.
  • Pat dry on a towel. Do not squeeze the bristles and shape the bristles back into the shape of the brush.
  • Dry flat, not standing up. Its better for your brushes to lie flat as they dry so they don’t go out of shape.
  • Do not dry in direct sunlight for this will shorten the life of your brushes.

As I use mostly powder products, I can afford to wash my brushes less regularly. If you use a foundation brush or lip brush, make sure that you wash them often. At least 2-3 days for you don’t want the cream or liquid products to breed bacteria.

Cleaning your brushes will make your makeup go on easier and better. You won’t have old colours messing up the colour you are applying. Its also good for your skin, for you don’t get a buildup of old oils and bacteria on your brushes.

So, have you washed your brushes today?

The fun and previews happen on Instagram @parisbmws