SINGAPORE SKYLINE CUSHION – ESPLANADE

The SG notebooks are a set of small and handy notebooks that highlight the use of our colloquial English. Each notebook revolves around a familiar local environment that has contributed significantly to the rise of Singlish vocabulary.

There are times when it’s difficult to convey a message to someone who has just lost a loved one or to just simply say, “I’m sorry” or “I love you”. These cards recreate the sender’s intended feeling visually through design where a worded message cannot. The series of cards rely heavily on visual effect, humour and fancy design effects were carefully measured to avoid turning the card into a gimmick and bordering on insensitivity.

Singlish has been and still is one of the most entertaining “languages” used and never fails to help visitors better understand our local culture. The Goldilocks Lah re-writing by Casey Chen, using Singlish to retell the classic stories. The Singlish titles by the author have been very well received. More than 10,000 copies sold locally since the first book was published in 2013.

The Goldilocks Lah, although is based on a children’s fairy tale, is “not suitable for children” due to its use of graphic language and broken English. The author exaggerated its use to show how funny Singlish can be. You can read about Goldilocks’ experiences with the 3 wolves in the book.

The Goldilocks Lah deviates slightly from the original story of the bears. Casey’s reason for using the wolves is a continuation of his first 2 titles. The Three Little Pigs Lah and The Red Riding Hood Lah have the same wolf “performing” and this time, you will find that the wolf is not the bad guy and also a chance to meet his family!

Mooncake is a type of Chinese pastry traditionally consumed during the mid-autumn festival. They are usually filled with sweet lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk which symbolises the full moon. The Chinese characters inscribed on the mooncakes are often celebratory sayings or descriptions of the fillings they contain.

Taking the form of real mooncakes, the ceramic paperweight is a delightful and useful piece of stationery that stays fresh forever.

Peranakan tiles are renowned for their recognisable ornate motifs and distinct colours. Commonly used in the 50s as wall trimmings to decorate buildings and interior spaces, these iconic embellishments are now safeguarded by the strict conservancy guidelines of Singapore. The Peranakan tape attempts to take us back in time through a functional yet transient adornment to any wall that pays homage to these visual icons of Singapore.

Ancient coins are auspicious objects to carry around in Chinese culture, believed to bestow the wearer protection, good luck, and fortune. Honouring this practice yet adapting it into a usable and handy everyday object suited for modern living, ‘bountiful’ is more than just a cleverly designed charm-in-keyring. Singaporeans carrying the lucky ‘bountiful’ charm will never have to fumble for that elusive one-dollar coin needed to release a supermarket trolley.