Working with mum

SINGAPORE — It’s Mother’s Day weekend and you know what that means — the full VIP treatment for the most important woman in our lives. There are many ways of bonding with your mums, whether it’s a meal together or arranging a special spa session together, for instance (see our guides for more ideas).

Alternatively, consider something more hands-on- and doubly meaningful - why not support independent businesses run by mothers and daughters who have taken their relationship to the next level.

For one, you can sign up for flower arrangment workshops at Floral Magic, located at Jalan Besar, an all-female family affair made up of 52-year-old Lucy Siah, two of her daughters (Josephine and Linnette Lau), as well as Lucy’s sisters-in-law and a niece.

What started as a retail flower business by Lucy and her sisters-in-law back in 2000 has grown to include floral arrangement for events besides the floral arrangement workshops which started in 2011, when the daughters slowly came onboard.

“It was kind of a natural thing for us to grow into it and continue the business with our mum,” shared Linnette, 25.

With their husbands and boyfriends pretty much in the background, Floral Magic is an all-women show. And for Lucy and her daughters, running the business has been a perpetual bonding session.

But what’s the dynamic like? Apart from bringing new ideas to the table business-wise — such as introducing social media — her daughters have brought “a lot of joy and laughter” to the business, said Lucy. “I get to spend more time with them, which we weren’t able to do when they were still in school.”

For Josephine, it’s been an ideal situation. “It’s quite easy for us to work with my mum and aunts because they’re willing to try new things and were open to what we had to say. When we were still young, we would make mock-up catalogues for them and they’d print it out because they liked our work,” she recalled with a laugh.

Of course, mothers always know best. “When we’re unsure about anything, whether it’s the season for certain flowers or how to respond to clients, mum will always have an answer. We always go to her first before Googling stuff,” said Linnette.

That said, being in a business together has its slight hiccups — they can rarely go on a holiday together (when the entire family went to Hong Kong last year, they had to close the shop for a week) and their own Mother’s Day celebrations have to wait. Last year, they celebrated two weeks later — “and I’m very sure I forgot to wish her Happy Mother’s Day,” quipped Josephine.

Meanwhile, there’s also homegrown craft outfit Momshoo, set up by 26-year-old Lim Shu Ning and her mother, 57-year-old Lim Chau Lee, who has been both an inspiration and a partner-in-crime. The name, after all, is an combination of “mom” and her name.

“I was very inspired by my mum. A lot of what started me off, how I learned to knit, how I got interested in sewing, was thanks to her,” said Lim, who had the idea of starting her independent business in 2009 and roped in her retired mother (dad occasionally helps).

The mother-daughter tandem create from home their knitted and handsewn products, such as home décor items such as knitted plants, broaches, fabric book and passport covers, and eye pillows, which are sold at select stores as well as online at Etsy and Naiise.

A couple of years ago, they also started to conduct craft workshops for people interested in knitting and embroidery. And if you’re considering dropping by one of their workshops with your mother or by yourself, you’ll get more than just a bonding session: “I’ve heard from people who have attended that even though it can be repetitive, after a while it calms you down—it’s quite therapeutic and meditative in a way,” said Lim.

As for working with one’s mother, like the folks at Floral Magic, it has been a pretty good experience. “It has been easy working with my mum. Every time I get a request from someone and it’s something new that we haven’t done before, we talk it out. We don’t have any conflict,” she said, before adding: “But we’re always talking business, though! There’s no boundary between personal life and work, and we’d be walking to lunch and having a mini-meeting!”

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FLORAL MAGIC (334 King George’s Avenue, 208571; http://www.floralmagic.com.sg/)

WHAT TO BUY FOR MUM: They’ve got three special Mother’s Day bouquets (named after and reflecting the personalities of Lucy and her sisters-in-law). Alternatively, Linnette suggests three types of flowers that are perfect for Mother’s Day and your mum: Carnations, lilies and peonies. “Carnations are hardy and resilient, which reflects the characteristics of a mother, and lilies are quite similar, too. Peonies, meanwhile, are in season and symbolize opulence and beauty,” she said.

WHAT TO DO WITH MUM: Floral Magic’s workshops include various techniques such as table arrangements or creating handtied bouquets, coronets and corsages. However, these are done on an ad hoc basis and often announced a week before, so Linnette suggests following them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/floralmagic) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/floralmagic_/) for updates. There’s one happening today (May 7) at Rockstar Cineleisure at 12.30pm, priced at S$180 (http://tdy.sg/floralmagic)

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MOMSHOO (https://www.facebook.com/momshoo/, https://www.etsy.com/shop/momshoo)

WHAT TO BUY FOR MUM: Momshoo offers a number of quirky stuff you can give as a gift to your mother, but with the popularity of plants and flowers — including non-real ones — Lim suggests their handknitted plants and cacti as a cute option (“It doesn’t die on you!”). Their products are available on their Etsy site and Naiise’s online store. Stores such as Cat Socrates, The Company Of Cats, Dulcetfig and When I Create also stock their items.

WHAT TO DO WITH MUM: While they don’t have a workshop lined up this weekend, there are a two embroidery sampler workshops coming up: On May 28, 2pm, at TANGS at Tang Plaza Level 4 Workshop Room, priced at S$50 (http://tdy.sg/tangsmomshoo), and on June 4, 10am, by Public Garden at 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, Level 3, priced at S$53.50 (http://www.public-garden.com/). Momshoo will also be holding a series of mini-flag embroidery workshops at the libraries starting June for the National Library Board’s Read Fest.