To The Mom Of The Toddler Who Was Left Home Alone & Fell Out The Window

The view of the incident from my house. Circled in red is the man who was filming the whole thing.

Yesterday as I sat by my living room window trying to get some work done on my laptop, I heard a woman from the block across from mine screaming at the top of her lungs repeatedly. I didn't really think much about it at first because to be honest, my neighbourhood's a bit weird sometimes and there are all sorts of interesting characters around here every now and then (just a few days ago, I was wondering whether there was somebody at the playground downstairs attempting to sing rather badly, or perhaps it was just a cat giving birth to a watermelon). There is a Primary School literally around the corner and the boisterous students who are usually playing downstairs make questionable wildlife sounds as well, so I did not think anything was amiss. But the screaming did not stop and she seemed like she was really in distress. 

Then I heard a man shouting, "Hello! Hello! Hello!!". Still thinking that perhaps it was a domestic dispute or a lovers' quarrel, I peeked out the window to see what all the fuss was about. I spotted a man standing on the grass and staring up towards the other block - he appeared to be holding his handphone and filming something up there. From my angle, I was unable to see what exactly he was watching unfold before him, but a small crowd started to form and I could hear everyone's panicked voices filling the air.

A woman gasped in horror. School students were pointing upwards. Mothers tightly clutched their young ones. What on earth was happenining, I wondered? Was there a big dramatic fight scene going on at the balcony and those people were nosy spectators? Is somebody contemplating suicide by jumping to their deaths and the bystanders are watching in horror? Or did someone accidentally fall out the window and is holding on for dear life while everyone else is holding their breaths preparing for the worst?

Circled in red is the foreignn worker running to the scene, as the bystanders watched helplessly.

Then, I spotted a foreign worker from across the road running towards the ever-growing crowd. He gazed up at what they were staring at, and immediately - without even hesitating for one minute - sprang into action and scaled up the walls to offer his assistance to whoever it was that was on the 2nd floor (I deduced that by now because that was the only unit occupied, from what I could see, except for the 8th floor and up (which was too high from how I observed where the crowd was looking at). People gasped and were calling out in fright. Sirens wailed and the emergency response team arrived on the scene within minutes. They took out a ladder and swiftly climbed up, and upon descending, I watched in absolute horror as I realised that the victim they had just rescued was a small child, probably about Gemini Grrl's age! She was only wearing a diaper and she clutched tightly to her rescuer as everyone heaved sighs of relief.

How the hell did a tiny toddler get herself into such a dangerous situation to begin with?? Where was her Mother?? How could she let this happen??

From the news reports that followed, and according to the short interviews of the child's parents, the little girl was asleep and her Mother had to send her other daughter to school nearby. Apparantly it was about 5 minutes from their house, so she thought she could slip away and be back home again within 10 minutes or so before her younger daughter woke up. Now, before we all start bashing the woman and saying she is irresponsible or stupid or not fit to be a parent, let me just say that as much as I do not condone what she did, nor am I defending her (I don't know her, she is not a friend of mine, we may live in the same neighbourhood but I have never seen her or her kids before in my whole entire life), let us just think WHY a Mother of 3 would even do that in the first place.

Circled in red is the unit where the family lives, on the 2nd floor.
Their windows are wide open and there are no safety grilles installed.

In one of her interviews, she explains that she has no help whatsoever from anybody. It has been made known that her husband is the sole breadwinner, so I guess it's right to say that she is a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) with no maid and no help to watch her kids, do the chores, or run her errands. We all know that when babies and toddlers do not get enough sleep or miss their naps, they get cranky as hell and turn into tantrum-throwing unreasonable grumpy things. From the sounds of it, she has probably left her child at home alone before while she quickly popped out to send her other children to school and all that.

Ok, Momma, if you're reading this, please do so carefully. It is NOT ok to leave your child alone at home by themselves, especially since they are still so young. No matter how fast you think you will be, no matter how nearby the distance of the place that you're popping to is, no matter if you're child is asleep and you really don't want to wake her up just so you can drag her across the street to send off her older sibling to preschool for all of 10 minutes - under no circumstances is it ever safe to leave your young child unattended, without supervision, for any amount of time at all.

I am not angry at you. I do not think you are stupid. I do not think you deserve to have all your 3 children snatched away from you, thrown into foster care and all parental rights revoked indefinitely. I do not think you are irresponsible. What I do think is that you are just unaware of the dangers of leaving your toddler all alone by herself at home. What I do think is that you underestimated the life-threatening dangers that surround your small child every corner of your own home. What I do think is that perhaps you were a little overwhelmed by being a SAHM to 3 young children, with no help whatsoever, just trying to do the best you can to keep your head above water. And without a doubt, I know you as a Mother would never intentionally want to put your own flesh and blood in any harm.

But unfortunately things turned out the way they did. I assume your little daughter woke up from her nap earlier than she normally does, to an empty house and started to search for her Mother and siblings. She must have wandered around and eventually ended up out on the balcony where she thought maybe she could get a better view of you crossing the road on your usual routine to send off her sister to school. So she probably climbed up onto something that was there and somehow lost balance, and tumbled over the edge, as there were no safety grilles installed there. 

My cloth-rack railings which are identical to the ones where the little girl fell through.
(And yes, I know I have an animal-print obsession)

Now by luck and by the grace of God, her body slipped through the metal railings of the clothes-drying rack, but her head got caught and she therefore did not fall through. But she was dangling there by her neck, kicking furiously and crying out for help. She could have broken her neck, or fallen through and fell 2 storeys down - a very nasty fall for a child that small. If the quick-thinking foreign worker had not acted swiftly, then she could have been seriously injured. If a good samaritan did not call for help, then the SCDF would not have reached there in time.

To the Mother and Father of this little girl who is the focus of today's news across the nation - please get safety grilles installed on all your windows and at the balcony, because you have 3 children (and a cat!) living in your house. I know it's not cheap. I know you have mountains of bills to pay. I know you have many mouths to feed. I know that life in Singapura is not a bed of roses for some as others may think. I know you think this freak accident couldn't possibly happen twice. Just please, think about the safety of your little ones. 

From what I can see in the interviews, you have a lovely little couch where the family sat on to answer the reporter's questions. Your daughter was fiddling around with an iPad. You have pretty curtains by your windows. You have clean clothes on your back. If you bought all of that with your own hard-earned money, then kindly consider spending part of your budget on such safety measures immediately. If those items were donated to you by generous friends and family members, then please ask them to help sponsor your grilles as soon as possible. The safety and welfare of your children should come first. Maybe it did not cross your mind that it is a vital feature you should consider adding in your home, and your reason is that you do not have the budget for it. If you have the money for all the other things I mentioned above, then you do have the money to get safety grilles installed. I know it'll set you back a couple of hundred dollars. I know times are tough. I know the public transportation fees are rising. I know the prices of everything are soaring. I know, boy do I know. But I also know that you do not ever want this incident to repeat ever again.

The foreign worker fearlessly climbing up to save the frightened toddler, who is dangling by her neck.
Photo: Youtube/ Alvin Tan

And if you still are unable to afford it, then ok, I understand. No, really, I honestly and sincerely do. Daily necessities are your top priority and you are just trying your best to make end's meet. Not everyone realises that we do not all have the same privileges or opportunities given to us in life. 

Just please, from now on, never ever leave your child alone at home or anywhere else without supervision for that matter. NO that is NOT ok. You may not not have realised the risks of this before, but NOW YOU KNOW. So please let this be a lesson learnt. A lesson learnt for all of you out there as well. It is easy to point fingers and judge others and call them names. But sometimes we forget that we are all human too. We make mistakes as well. We are not all perfect parents. Yes, what the Mother did was wrong, and it was splashed all over the news so she has an angry mob after her now. But haven't we all done something we wish we could undo? Haven't we all made poor choices as parents? Or turned around for one second, only to realise our child has managed to get themselves into a sticky situation?

I for one have had my Bad Parent Moment 2 years ago at my own home, when Gemini Grrl was about 1 year's old. I was folding laundry in her room and she was right next to me, sitting inside the laundry basket, pretending it was a boat and giggling away uncontrollably. She then got up and ran into my bedroom just next door. As I called out to her and got up from the floor to go bring her back in, I heard a sickening thud and as I took just 2 steps forward to look into my room, I saw her lying on the ground, moaning. Within the 3 seconds that she had ran out of her room where I was, she managed to clamber up onto my bed and then leapt off, landing in a crumpled heap on the cold hard floor, head-first. I screamed in sheer terror and ran to scoop her up. She was conscious and then started to cry in pain. A humongous bump formed on her forehead and I immediately rushed her to the emergency room, crying hysterically all the way there. She was fine in the end and did not suffer a concussion or any internal bleeding. 

But I still feel like that was the absolute worse parenting moment I made in my whole entire life of being a Mother and I was a complete failure. I swear to God it just took 3 seconds for her to run out of the room, climb onto the bed and fall on her head, as I was still sitting cross-legged on the floor, getting myself up and about to walk over to bring her back to my pile of laundry. I was not in the toilet with the door closed while she watched tv alone in the living room. I was not in the kitchen cooking up a 5-course meal as she played by herself in her room. And I certainly did not pop out to the nearby 7'11s to buy a bag of chips while she remained unsupervised at home. The 3 seconds was more than enough for her to get injured and earn her a trip to the children's hospital.

The Mother, the child, the Father and her older sister.
(Photo: TNP/ Benjamin Seetor)

We may never know what that toddler's Mother was thinking when she felt it was absolutely fine to leave her sleeping child unattended, and they may never install safety grilles in their house even after this unfortunate incident. But let's not make things worse for them by wishing them ill intentions, or proposing that social services take their children away for good - because no family should be torn apart. Granted that this case did showcase some poor parenting choices made, but do we really want to rip the innocent children from their parents' arms and send them off to a shelter somewhere, waiting in limbo for an unknown future?

Let's just say thank you to the two brave foreign workers who went to the poor child's aid without a second thought. And also to the SCDF team for doing a good job. As well as everyone else who helped in any way. Let us wish the parents well and hope that they will rethink their actions from now on and take the extra precaution to put their children's safety and welfare first.

Please remember that no matter how much or how little money you have, your children are irreplaceable and should always be your number one priority. You are lucky that this story had a happy ending. You are lucky that there were people there to come to her rescue. You are lucky that your child is still alive and well.You are very, very lucky indeed.


*UPDATE: The MP of our Town Council has visited the family and by using some charity funds, has kindly helped to get safety grilles installed on all the windows in the house. 

12 Realistic Jobs For Stay At Home Moms (SAHMs) That Actually Pay

Me acting as "Lucy", for a drama show to raise awareness about cyber-bullying.

You either were a career woman with a stable job at first and left the workforce to take care of your little one fulltime, or you have always planned on becoming a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) and talked things through with your spouse so that you will be there for your child every step of the way since day one. Whatever it is, being a SAHM isn't easy and no matter what your financial background is, relying on only one income may have it's drawbacks sometimes.

I myself have always been working on a freelance basis ever since I graduated - save for the brief period where I was working part-time at an animal concerns society - so the nature of my work has always been on a project-basis and my schedule has usually quite flexible. Growing up, both my parents worked so my younger sister and I were practically raised by our aunts and our live-in maid. But most of the times, we were left to our own devices and would keep each other company for the most part of the day and weekends. I remember during my toddlerhood how my own Mother was a SAHM and she only got a fulltime job shortly after my sister was born. 

In an ideal world, I would love to be a SAHM/ WAHM (Work At Home Mom) forever and take care of my child's every need, shuttle her to & fro for her various classes or playdates, have the luxury of being there when she needs me without having to check my schedule or ask my Boss for time off - but living in what has been ranked the most expensive city for 2 years running now has brought me back down to reality. Although I am still currently a WAHM right now, I fear that once the time comes for Gemini Grrl to start preschool (when she turns 4yrs old), the choice school that I have selected will force me to find a more stable job which will provide a steadier income. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

What exactly do I currently do as a WAHM, you ask? How do I earn money from the comfort of my own home while my daughter sits right beside me moulding cupcakes out of playdough? What do I do to contribute to our monthly household income so that I have a bit of pocket money to buy whatever my heart desires (it's usually new clothes for my daughter, or restocking the snack cupboard to the brim, or for once treating my husband to a lovely dinner out), without depending on someone else all the time? It's a mish mash of different things to be honest, but mostly the same sort of projects which I have already been doing long before my little one came along - which includes writing, acting, directing, and teaching - and I have no help whatsoever so solely rely on my husband (and on the rare occasion, my Mother) to keep an eye on Gemini Grrl while I'm out bringing home the (extra) bacon.

Read on about my list of 12 realistic jobs for Stay At Home Moms and find out how you can earn a few extra bucks while still being a SAHM, or possibly even get a long-term gig going on to qualify as a WAHM :D

***

1
PRIVATE TUTOR

Image from Inmagine

In this day and age, (and especially in Singapura) parents are eager to let their children excel academically, so private tutors are in high demand. Just do a search online and filter for assignments by subject to teach, location, age of student, and rates offered. If you are NIE-trained or are an ex teacher, the rates may be a little higher - but they will also consider your other qualifications and experience. You can either opt to go to the student's house, or teach at a tuition centre, or maybe even have the student travel to  your house. There is a wide range of subjects in demand and the age range of students can start from Kindergarten level (!!) to Primary, Secondary and even adults. If you go through a tuition agency, then be prepared for them to take some commission. You can choose your timeslots for the evenings or weekends (so that your husband is home from work and can watch your bub), or whichever time that your child is away in preschool.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

2

WEB DESIGNER

Image from Inmagine

For the tech-savvy mommas out there, you can put your computer knowledge to good use. All you need is a computer/ laptop, internet connection and web-skills to design or build and maintain a website. You probably don't ever have to leave the home, except when meeting your client to get more details about what exactly they need - and depending on where you meet up (and how nice they are), you can probably bring your little one along with you as well.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

3
WRITER

Image from Inmagine

I have been doing this for many years now and it has become my bread and butter. It is the only job that I can do purely from home and don't really have to meet anyone at all. I get details via email or over the phone and just type away. Rarely would I have to meet up with clients for brainstorming and even if I have to, it's usually a casual meeting over coffee anyway, so my daughter is more than welcome to be there. You can write scripts for drama companies or production houses, articles for magazines, features on blogs, and much more. 

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

4

ONLINE SELLER

Image from Inmagine

This is another avenue I would like to explore in the near future. From the comfort of your own home, you can sell clothes, accessories, handicraft, home decor pieces, toys, books - the possibilities are endless! You just have to source for the right supplier and simply set up a blogshop on the internet. Whether or not you want a fancy website, is entirely up to you. I've seen some Facebook pages set up selling stuff online and they're doing very well. At the end of the day, it's the products you're selling that need to impress customers, after all.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

5

BABYSITTER

Image from Inmagine

Since you're already taking care of your own child, why not look after another one for just a few hours and get paid for it? Some parents look for reliable adults to send or pick up their child from school and keep them company at home for a short period of time before either one gets home from work. Sometimes, they might just need a date night (don't we all??), so are looking for mature babysitters to watch over their little ones. Depending on the arrangements, you might even be able to let the child play at your house, or even if you have to go over to theirs, some parents are ok with your own bub/ tot joining in as well. Better yet if you can find a child to babysit who lives in the same block or neighbourhood as you.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

6
PHOTOGRAPHER

Image from Inmagine

Not only can you sell your photographs to those who appreciate your work, but you can also offer your services as a professional photographer for events such as birthday parties, weddings, graduations, engagements, corporate dinners, etc. Most of which would probably occur in the evenings or weekends, so hopefully your husband will be off from work to take over parental duties as you're out snapping pictures and bringing in the dough. Or if it's just a short photoshoot, you can bring your child along as well. If things take off well, then you can also consider converting one of your rooms into a studio and offer competitive rates for private studio shoots.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes & No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

7
PARTY PLANNER & DECORATOR

Image from Inmagine

I may be stereotyping here, but a lot of SAHMs/ WAHMs are addicted to Pinterest (guilty as charge! Haha!), and have probably pinned 3527 ideas about our tot's upcoming birthday bash (umm, or is that just me??). So why not turn our party-planning skills into something that can generate income? Set up a simple website listing out your services and just liase with clients over the phone while you're still in your pajamas, sprawled out on your couch. If you have to go down to the venue to put up decorations and all that, I'm sure your little one can patiently wait for you, or amuse themselves by playing with a colourful balloon while Mommy's rolling up her sleeves.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

8
PETSITTER/ WALKER

Image from Inmagine

Some people may require someone to help walk their dog if their work schedules are super hectic. Or they may even need you to watch their pets for a few days while they are out of the country for work or on holiday. This is actually a cheaper option for them rather than to put their pet at one of those "pet hotels", plus they have the peace of mind knowing that their furry friend will have more attention given to them staying at somebody's house, rather than being boarded up with hundreds of other 4-legged critters.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

9
BEAUTICIAN

Image from Inmagine

Either you can become a Make Up Artist who goes out for assignments on the weekends for weddings and such, or you can offer your services as a Manicurist/ Pedicurist, Hair Stylist, or even Ladies' Masseuse - the selling point is that you do house-calls! Haven't you always longed for a beauty session to be done right in your own home where you can keep an eye on your child, instead of dragging them out to a spa somewhere and worry if they're going to knock anything over or eat something they're not supposed to? I'm sure lots of other women out there would appreciate these services offered door to door :) I have met some enterprising women who have also converted one of their rooms into a mini beauty parlour, so their kids can be playing in the next room while Mommy is earning some moola. Plus if you're over at someone's house to paint their nails, they probably wouldn't really mind if your bub was there as well (away from the fumes of course). 

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

10
PERSONAL SHOPPER

Image from Inmagine

Seriously, some people are just so busy that they need to hire extra helping hands to run basic errands for them. Pick up their dry-cleaning, do some grocery shopping, shop for a nice new outfit. Whatever it is, since you're basically out there buying stuff around town, I don't see why you couldn't bring your child with you for these runs. This can probably done at your own time and pace as well, because people don't usually require 2kg of frozen chicken or a new hat PRONTO. What a dream, getting paid to shop!

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

11
FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Image from Inmagine

For all the fit moms out there, why not teach a Yoga/ Aerobics/ Pilates/ Zumba class or something? Not only do you get a workout, but you'll actually be paid for it as well! Or tailor a Mommy & Baby Yoga class so that you can use your own darling bub as an example while leading the class. Other SAHMs would probably love this opportunity to get their babies involved in their fitness regime as well. Or leave the wee one at home with Daddy, while you go to the nearby gym or sports complex to work up a sweat and roll in the cash.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes & No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

12

SMALL-SCALE CATERER

Image from Inmagine

If you have some decent cooking or baking skills, then why not offer small-scale catering packages? Bake a huge batch of pretty cupcakes for a Baby Shower, or whip up some tasty mini quiches for an engagement party - just keep the orders small and don't overwhelm yourself. You'll only have to leave the house to deliver the goods and maybe set it up at the event venue, but you can probably bring your child along as well for this. If your child is old enough, then maybe they could even lend a helping hand as well? :)

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

**********

So there you have it! 12 realistic jobs for Stay At Home Moms (SAHMs) that actually pay! No gimmicks, no fees to pay, no headaches. If you still feel that none of the above-mentioned jobs are suitable for you, fret not, just think carefully about what set of skills you have and try to figure out how to monetise that. Can you sew? Be a seamstress, or kids' costume maker, or sew your own handicrafts. Do you have a pleasant voice? Be a hotline operator over the phone, or voice-over talent, or singing coach. I'm sure you must have something worthwhile to offer and there are people out there willing to pay good money for your services.

But if not, then nevermind, just remember that your fulltime job as a 24/7 Mother to your precious little ones is already absolutely priceless :)

DIY Portable Dollhouse: Tutorial for Handmade Miniature Furniture (BONUS! Video)

(Handmade LPS Portable Dollhouse)

I have always been fascinated with all things miniature and would pretend I had a little faery friend who I would someday build a house for. Well, ever since my little baby faery daughter was born (aka: Gemini Grrl), I have been putting my craft skills to work and have enjoyed coming up with homemade activities, DIY projects and other fun games we can do together.

My recent project was this portable/ carry-along dollhouse for a vintage Littlest Pet Shop Bobble-Head Siamese Cat (from the 2004 LPS Portable Pet Series), which I used to play with (please don't do the math. I still collected and played with toys well past my teenage years. Haha!), but have since passed down to my daughter. It came with a tiny pink pet carrier, but we decided that kitty needed a bigger place to call home.

I have made a few dollhouses out of old chocolate boxes and shoeboxes, but when I saw a few posts online of portable dollhouses using mini paper suitcases, they looked so adorable and I loved how we could easily bring them out with us to keep Gemini Grrl occupied when we're over at friend's house, or eating at a restaurant, etc. It was really fun to make and I got her to help pick out the wallpaper/ flooring, choose the decals, the various colours of things, the placement of certain items, and what exactly she would like in the house. She also helped to glue some bits (using child-safe school glue) and it took us only one day to get everything done (with breaks in between for snacks, lunch and naptime).

(The outside of the mini paper suitcase is blue with orange, red, green & yellow stars)

Below is a tutorial of how exactly I made the dollhouse.
But if you prefer, you can also watch a short & sweet tutorial video I made :)

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Mini Paper Suitcase

Scissors

Pencil

Superglue

Gift Wrap Paper or Scrap Book Paper

Cotton Wool

Drinking Straw

Toothpicks or Matchsticks

Popsicle Sticks

Various Bits of Fabric

Scrap Book Decals

Stickers

Magazine Cut-Outs

String or Wool

Letter Beads

Small Empty Boxes

Cupcake Liner

Craft Foam

(You can easily glue your wallpaper & flooring to the insides, if it is made of paper like this one)

You can either choose the same piece of gift wrap paper/ scrap book paper for both the wallpaper and the flooring, or you can do what we did and use two different pieces. Our wallpaper is light yellow with little trees, teal silhouettes of deer and tiny white flowers. Our flooring is white with green, red and yellow triangles. You can also use any kind of fabric or even felt for your flooring, to make it more like a carpet instead. I got both gift-wrap papers from a knick-knack shop near my house for 40 cents each (3 rolls for $1). This is partly why I have a seriously hoarding problem when it comes to gift-wrap! Put the mini paper suitcase on the the gift-wrap paper and trace around it with a pencil. Cut it to size to fit on the insides. I had to trim it a few times because the outside of the house is obviously a little bit bigger than the inside, but it wasn't too hard to do. 

(The cosy little bed with pictures on the wall)

I used an empty (plus washed & dried!) mini drink box and wrapped it up in a preloved baby washcloth that has been sitting in Gemini Grrl's bottom drawer for a while now, and glued it together. The pillow is a wad of facial cotton (the kind that you use to remove make-up), wrapped up in a small piece of fabric (also cut up from an old baby washcloth) and glued shut. The bed's headboard is a little craft foam decal used for scrap-booking, which I dug out of my collection of bits & bobs. You can use whatever you already have or cut out a nice picture from a magazine.

(Who's the fairest of them all?)

The picture frame directly above the bed's headboard (Je t'aime), is made out of toothpicks, but you can also use matchsticks. Just trim the length to fit around your chosen picture (mine was cut out from a magazine) and glue it directly onto the edges of the picture. I added a little craft foam heart at the corner there just to make it look even nicer, and glued the frame directly onto the wall.

The same method applies to the mirror on the other side of the room as well. I just so happened to have a piece of reflective paper which I tore out from a magazine years ago (seriously, I think it was actually 10 years ago! I told you I am a hoarder). You can also paint or colour in the frame to make it even prettier. The other picture on the wall of the crown with a heart in a middle, is actually a bottle-cap decal mixed in with my loot bag of craft stuff which I won from an online competition. SO happy with the stuff I got :)
Oh, and the round rug in front of the mirror is actually the liner from a Ferrero Rocher chocolate, but you can also use any other cupcake liner, or a piece of fabric.

(Itadakimasu!)

The base of the table is an old plastic bottle top and I glued this glittery yellow craft foam circle on as the table top. The dining chair is the top of a vitamin bottle (the seal thingy that you remove from the inside). The irritatingly cute sushi are actually erasers I got as a set from a dollar store. I know I can also make the miniature food myself, but I have a weakness for these things when I see them in the shops. They actually give me inspiration for my next dollhouse creation.

(Rub a dub dub)

I hope you can see the details on this one. The bathtub itself is cut out of a mini cereal box, and wrapped with some gift-wrap paper. The bottom of the bathtub (inside) is a magazine clipping, and so is the row of shampoo/ conditioner/ soap/ sponge. The shower is a bendy drinking straw. The taps are letter beads (H for Hot and C for Cold water). The pink towel is cut out from another old baby washcloth. And last but not least, the bathmat is a craft foam heart.
I actually glued down all the furniture in this dollhouse, so just a tip if you intend to do that - remember not to glue things too close to the edge because you won't be able to close the lid. Umm, I speak from experience. Haha. Next time I make a dollhouse, I probably won't glue the furniture down though, because my daughter got pretty annoyed that she couldn't rearrange stuff. I only did it this time because this was a portable dollhouse and I didn't want anything to fall out and get lost outside.
Oh, I also want to point out the magazine clipping of grass in the background around the edges there, which I glued on for fun. Yes, my kitty's bathroom is outdoors apparantly. Nevermind! :P

(The other side of the bedroom)

Really, the sky's the limit! Just use whatever you already have and go with the flow! I glued on a popsicle stick as a shelf and then wondered where to go next with this little corner of the room. But then discovered some darling little dress decals and decided to glue them onto a string of wool. I didn't glue the dresses onto the wall though, so they sort of flap around if you poke them. The two tiny cupcakes on the shelf are so random, I know, but they were in my craft bag and they were too cute not to use.

(Scrapbooking bits & bobs)

It's good to have lots of bits and bobs of scrap-book decals, magazine cut-outs, stickers and all that. I just squirrel them away, hoping that they'll be of use some day and sure enough, they definitely were! Don't stress yourself out over how to make it perfect. When you're having fun, the ideas will naturally come to you. You are only limited by your own imagination, so don't overthink it and just experiment.

If you want to see a video tour of this portable dollhouse, as well as the tutorial, do check out our video on Youtube. Please remember to Subscribe to our channel as well and do let us know in the comments if you would like to see more of our dollhouse creations! :)

★☆ WATCH THE DOLLHOUSE TOUR AND HANDMADE MINIATURE FURNITURE TUTORIAL HERE! ☆★