Review: Cake Delivery Singapore

 The family loves cakes and I love cheese. I do not have a sweet tooth so usually I'd take a few bites of any "new" cakes that I've not tried for the experience and that's it. 

This year, being quite an extraordinary year, has been hard on the kids and also the parents. The kiddo does not learn as well via online classes versus that in physical and we have been having a challenging time closing the gaps. So when the opportunity came from Cake Delivery Singapore for a cake delivery I was really happy as I wanted to surprise the kiddo with one after her prelims. 

A quick search on their website and I ended up being doubly happy - they were many different types of cakes including *drum roll* up to 7 different kinds of cheesecakes! 

The order was quick and easy with a "click and drop" 

Cake Delivery - Click and Drop

And each selection page offers you the choice of number of candles and the option of a birthday topper. I really like that as most of the websites that I have visited get us to use a "remarks" box instead. 

Now, when I was ordering, I saw that they offer both 24-hour delivery as well as get this - midnight delivery! Why is that great - I now know where to order from when the clock strikes 12 when the kiddo turns 12 later this year! 

When the cake arrived, it did not disappoint - it arrived with a big festive bow, celebrating our end of prelims! 

My choice for the cake was a Burnt Cheesecake. The cake was still cold when it arrived and the delivery was prompt. The cake was also not "misshapen" which happened to one of the kiddo's birthday cake before when she was younger. 

Now, if you are a fan of a classic cheesecake - firm but are looking for a twist, then you will like this one. The exterior was charred where it had a caramelized finish which balances the rich cheese. For me, since I do not have a sweet tooth, I enjoyed the slightly burnt bitter ending notes, as it would have been too "jelat" (read: singlish for "rich") for me otherwise. 

With the kiddo's birthday coming up, I am considering the "build your own cake" option which offers up to 10 different flavours and possibly the midnight delivery too! 

Disclaimer: We were invited to the meal by Cake Delivery Singapore so that we can give our opinions about it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page and Instagram where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest! 

Gogoprint - Your "Go-to" digital printer for personalised printing!

Amongst my own circle of friends and contacts, I have noted that increasingly, we are getting more entrepreneurial as many are dabbling into small businesses. With that, having ready simple collateral such as business cards, tags, and even brochures are important in communicating the services and products we carry.

I, for one, definitely should look into the printing ofbusiness cards for my blog, something that I have put on hold for the longest time. But with the kiddo’s party, that’s another story altogether. I find planning for her parties easy as they are usually theme bases are you can read more about a “Frozen” party here and a “How to train your dragon” art jamming party here.

I have been doing self design for the invitation cards as well as gift tags etc, for the last few years where I print them at a digital printer in Bras Basah. But this year, I decided to try out Gogoprint's online service as it even provides door-to-door delivery! 

Gogoprint is a leading online printing marketing and technology firm, which has the distinct vision to make ordering printing products easy and cost-effective, thereby helping small- and medium-sized businesses to market their businesses and to grow. From popular promotional materials such as flyers, brochures and folders, to business cards and digital booklets, choices are aplenty. So this year, I decided to try out Gogoprint where everything is done online, with just a few clicks!

Gogoprint’s products are listed on the mainpage where at one glance you can click and enter into the dedicated product page where you can then specify your requirements by choosing:

• Size
• Materials
• Finishing
• Quantity, etc

In the case of our gift tags, we can even opt for the position for them to punch the hole for us to loop in the strings!

As Dumpling’s birthday theme this year is on Star Wars, we decided to print a booklet in addition to some gift tags and sticks using similar artwork like what we did for her e-invitation.

The party booklet which turned out gorgeous. The print was crisp and the matt lamination looked really great with the black!

Check out our stickers and thank you gift tags! We could print round shaped stickers with Gogoprint! Something that I couldn't do with my previous printer! 

Best of all, the order was done in just 3 steps! 

Here’s a walk through of how simple it was to order:

:: Step 1: Choose my options

So this is where I get to customise on materials, size, finishing (glossy or matt) and the number of pages for my booklet. What was useful for me was the short description for the under “materials” which helps me make better choices on the type of materials to choose.

:: Step 2: Choose Quantity and Delivery Speed

 The website shows very clearly the various price range for different quantity and different delivery dates. For my 8 pp booklet, I noticed that the incremental difference for non urgent orders is only about $1+ per booklet!  

 :: Step 3: Upload File

And just like that, I was brought to the next section to upload my file (free for pdf files). (For my artwork, I used both powerpoint as well as Canva to create them.) 

And once the file is uploaded, I was then prompted to checkout where I can make my payment via credit card. 

 

:: What about delivery?

The delivery was prompt as per the date indicated in my cart and the booklets were gorgeous! The printing was crisp and sharp and the paper, as per what my order was (I opted for a thick paper for the cover). Check them out! 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation where Dumpling and I were invited to review the Gogoprint's digital printing service so that we can share our experience on it. All views expressed are entirely mine and does not represent the organisation that I work for.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Birthday Blast! A Toothless Art Jamming Party!

I love birthdays and all celebrations. As a marketing professional who started my career in events planning, you can imagine why I am just as excited as my kiddo when it comes to her birthday planning. I get especially excited googling for ideas and inspiration for her themed birthdays. From looking for Gruffalo and Harry Potter cupcakes and to planning for our Alice in Wonderland party to a DIY Frozen themed party; our parties are as varied as they come.

This year, with the kid being older and having her own close circle of friends, we decided to do an Art Jamming party at Heart Studio Singapore, her Art school for the past 3 odd years. In one of Heart Studio’s previous holiday workshops, the kiddo wanted to attend one that was on the painting of one of her favourite characters – Toothless, from How to Train Your Dragon. However, as we were unable to do so, we decided to do the workshop as a Birthday Art Jamming party instead. 

:: Invitation and Decor

We started doing the invitations together and in our usual fashion, we created 2 versions: 1 as an official invitation with the other being a reminder email. The artwork is relatively easy where we googled for some PNG files and put it together using PowerPoint. Dumpling directed what she wanted – borders, placement of Toothless and color choices while I put it together in front of her.

It was a small and intimate affair with 10 kids. The décor was also minimal because of a project which my church is working with the Children’s Liturgy group (which Dumpling belongs to) on. I was really proud that Dumpling decided to forgo her usual birthday helium balloons and donated the money to the project instead. What we have is just a simple bunting and in a true “party planner” manner, tent cards for the food.

:: The Art Jamming Session

The children were divided into 2 rooms and we had 2 teachers per studio which is something that I really appreciate from a early childhood professional's perspective in terms of student : teacher ratio. 

Upon entering, the children hunted for their own bags which had their name printed on the tag. Inside the bag was a blank canvas (for their art jamming) and we also included a copy of "How To Train Your Dragon story book". 

The kids were all eager to start their painting and even ran into the studios! From there, it was about 2+ hours of "peace and quiet" for parents to catch up with each other. :p 

Like all of Dumpling's regular classes, the teachers taught the children how to compose the dragons by starting with the basic shapes and outline...

Once that was done, the bodies and heads were painted in...

One of the things which I often struggle with when it comes to planning for her birthday party is if the activity is still fun for boys. With an Art Jamming party, it seems that our decision was a good one. :) 

Bit by bit, their dragons took shape - with detailing, shadows and highlights :) There was no 1 "model" Toothless. The teachers allowed the children to decide what angle and pose the dragons should have.

And for those who do not want Toothless? There were other dragons to choose from! :) 

Once the dragon was done, the children worked on the backgrounds. 

And if you are worried if the painting will dry in time for the children to bring them back, fret not as there are always hairdryers on hand! :)

You may have noticed the kids had different "styles" in the painting of the dragons. Can you spot the difference in strokes and technique? :) 

Look at the gorgeous paintings!

:: The Food! 

Heart Studio does not allow for hot chaffing dishes because of the flammable solvents the studio has. A buddy of mine suggested Pasta Mania which offers takeaway box sets which you can order here. Payment is collected on that day - cash or cheque and the delivery was on time too. :) The food was also packed in nifty individual boxes and it was just "open and place on the table". Disposable ware and black garbage bags were provided too. 

In line with the bunting and thank you tags, we labelled the food with some tent cards and it turned out looking pretty festive and a few of the kids had a good chuckle over the names! :)

 :: The Cake(s)! 

The cakes. We decided to do away with fondant cakes this year once again. I stumbled upon these lovely steamed cakes some time back but have never had the chance to try them but we managed to get a slot this year! Check out the cute cakes! As the main colour for Toothless and the party is loads of black, hence for the cakes, we decided to add in some colours - rainbow and polka dots! 

We ordered a main piece which was larger and that was for Dumpling to blow out and extras which are prepacked for children to bring home too.

Additionally for these cakes, you can choose if you want nutella, ovomaltine or specaloos fillings. The steamed cakes were absolutely delicious - the liquidity ovomaltine oozed out as we took bites of the soft moist cakes. If you are looking to order these cakes, you can visit Little Sweet Tooth Bakes. 

If you are keen to find out more about the Art Jamming Party, Heart Studio's contact details are as follows:

Operating Hours:

Mon-Sat: 11am to 7pm
Last Appointment: 6.30pm

Address and Tel

1 Charlton Lane #01-04,

• Singapore 539631
• T: (65) 6554 7563
• Disclaimer: This is neither a sponsored post nor were we compensated for it. The Birthday Art Jamming was specially arranged for at Heart Studio. Birthday Packages are available for up to 10 kids, making this a perfect cozy party. All opinions expressed are entirely ours though the artworks can be yours. :) 
• Don't have an upcoming birthday party? Heart Studio is also running a Holiday Programme during the December holidays. 
• Enjoy an Early Bird Discount of 10% if you book for a class by this Sunday, 15 November!! (Each class lasts 2.5 hours and fees include material cost. There is no registration fee needed for workshops.)

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both to the kiddo and my furkid, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

DIY Frozen Party!

The kid recently had her birthday celebration. With quite possibly about 90% of the girl population around the world, the theme was none other than Frozen. Yup, after months of prep work for the party, this very word sends chill (all pun intended) down my spine. LOL

The kiddo decided very early on (as in more than half a year prior) that it would be totally COOL (yes, corny I know) if she were to have a party at The Rink where her friends can have a go on ice and she gets to do what she enjoys too!

If you are looking to host a party with a Frozen theme, The Rink is a pretty good idea and here's sharing our prep journey.

:: Here’s 5 easy steps to planning a Frozen Party:

1) First up, decide on a venue and book for the date.

In our case, it was at The Rink. You can give them a call, check and book for a slot. Each slot is for 2 hours and you can check with them if you could come in a tad early to do up the room but they do provide a very simple printed laminated 'bunting' for the birthday child on one of the walls in the party room.

2) Birthday invitations

I went a little crazy this year as I am so anal about designs so I sort of created 3 different invitations. You can easily google for Frozen images. My eInvite below was created very simply using powerpoint, nothing fancy like Photoshop.

All you have to do is to place the image as the background, create a border and add on a ‘sticker’ (also googled), insert in a text box for the words. The version below was sent out as the first eInvitation. Thereafter, I mailed out the hardcopy invitation cards.

 

Because I created so many different versions, I used the 'last' design (below) as a reminder eInvite one day prior.

3) Party favours

The party this year is a much cozier party as Dumpling invited about 10 friends excluding her cousins. With the guest list decided way early on, I could then work out how many sets of party favors we needed.

It is a personal habit of mine to include personalized gifts and books whenever I can. With the invitee list all mapped out, I was able to suss out the various Frozen titles and ordered them when I happened to receive a discount code from Books Depository!

For her girlfriends who are P1 going kids in 2015, I also ordered some fun watches from eBay.

Now, I believe that many parents would face the same challenge as me when it comes to this theme for the boys – what do we then give as favors for them? I saw some really fun ideas of packing marshmallows, pretzel and choc / raisins in a bag where we can ‘build an Olaf’ but I wanted something a tad more personalized.

I googled a bit and decided on making some personalized aprons. I bought the image off etsy as well and got a friend to add on the names of the boys for me. I then printed on some iron-transfer stickers (Avery brand) and did the ironing on and voila!

Favor bags packing in process...

Favor bags all ready!

4) Décor

This gave me quite a headache as the Frozen themed décor were all out at the various party stores that I went to. So, having to improvise from there, I worked on using the Frozen colors of light blue and white.

a) Buntings

Birthday buntings are a must for me and you can find many options on etsy.com Etsy is an amazing place and the best part is that many of the sellers offer personalization meaning that I could add on Dumpling’s name to the order.

b) Balloons

Balloons are a cheap and effective way to jazz up a room. Because my party was in the morning, I was not able to order the helium-filled balloons from the company as many of these are able to deliver only after 10am. What you can do instead is to blow them on your own. Thereafter, tie 3 – 4 to one string and use the tape to paste the string onto the wall. Here’s how ours look:

5) Cakes cakes and cakes!

I placed my order with Diana Gale, a fellow mum blogger at Domestic Goddess Wannabe whose food blog recently won an award! Diana was really great. All I had to do was to google for photos to show her and basically shared that I would like to have an ombre cake and some mini cupcakes. One of my close friends then helped me to place the order for the cake toppers (as I decided to swear off fondant cake this year). Once the sugar and the toppers were added to the cake, it was definitely ‘theme’ ready!

I also ordered half a dozen of jam-filled cupcakes from Diana where the buttercream was also in the frozen blue. Diana provided the printed cupcake toppers too!

  

The cakes were yummy and we had children oohing and ‘aiming’ for the slice / cupcake which they wanted. It was not overly sweet and I particularly love the jam filled cupcakes where Diana also added some shaved white choc as ‘snowflakes’.

Final Tips:

I am a stickler for small details so in my case, since I DIY the design and printing (I go to Bras Basah for cheap printing on matt art card, stickers, etc.) I try to make personalised items as much as I can.

I designed and printed personalised water bottle labels...

Tent Cards

And personalized thank you tags which I tied to the goodie bags as the items in the bag differs slightly

As signages are often the first point of 'contact' when the guests arrive at any venue, The Rink was kind enough to allow me to design the 'Welcome Signage' which is inline with the theme too.

 

Dumpling aka 'Queen Elsa' LOL attracted a fair bit of attention as she posed with the signage)

Having details like these help to 'glue' the whole theme together.

Of course, the rest of the party was a breeze as the kids basically entertained themselves on ice! Kids having a safety crash course before starting...

The cousins...

 

Close friends...

 

And of course, we ended off the lovely morning with the birthday cake and song!

 

To all our friends and family who celebrated with us, thank you for taking the time and for your lovely wishes. We are blessed many times over with your love. :)

 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram.