February...

January's over...a whole month of no blogging entries. I've already not living up to one of  my new year's resolution - spending more time on creativity and etsy shop...maybe year's resolution is just too hard. just too hard to keep motivated. being sick with the cold didn't help either. maybe i should just start with monthly resolution. maybe.

Rainy January's over. but it may be another rainy February....but at least, there is Lunar New Year to look forward to. another start. I then can begin my year's resolution. again.

Image credit: little postcards

Happy 2010

It's 2010!


Forget the bad days, learn from past mistakes, treasure the good memories and move forward to a new year!


Happy New Year!

Credit: Tumbler and University Life Style

My New Year's Resolution 3

More things to accomplish in 2010:

- be done with and graduate from the MBA program (just two more semesters to go!!)

- and once done with school, onto focusing on the career that I want

- but leave enough time for creativity and for my esty shop,

- and read more

- and of course, spend more time with family

and hopefully, a vacation. to Paris. or to Italy...

these lovely pictures are really inspiring me to go.

Credit: coffee at happy place, Paris from the cherry blossom girl, Venice from Sebastian,

My new year's resolution 2.

There are so many arts and crafts I would like to do, try out, and learn. photography, interior designing, wire wrapped jewelry and PMC rings. Things I know I'd enjoy. But there are always things or excuses that come up. and I missed those classes or didn't have time for it.


This year. no more of those excuses. I'll make time for it. In fact, I just signed up for a wire wrapped jewelry class on January 2nd! New year. new inspiration!!


Credit: one of my favorite polaroids inspiration, mocking bird

Daydream: Paris

These lovely pictures are making me wish that I'm in Paris...now!

(Lumiere)

from Visualize Us

 

(Paris is Pink)

(Sanctuary: Paris)

from here

and here

Season of Sparkles

I'm in the mood for sparkles and blings blings for the holiday! Here are some of the things that have caught my eyes:

1. crushed-glitter headband from j.crew
2. sequined silk crepe dress
3. crushed-glitter belt from j.crew
4. sexy glitter vest
5. studded boots


Also loving Elva Hsiao's gems studded headphone (from her latest Chinese album Diamond Candy):

I wonder if I can just DIY a headphone just like that!

the lovely Jenny Swanson

Through {shop, swap & blog}, I got to meet the lovely, talented Jenny Swanson, the creator of the inspirational Retrieval Project and beautiful shop here.

My package was the lovely "hello fine art print," which I really love. It just greets me!

In addition to the "hello fine print art", Jenny also included a surprise for me from her shop!

a lovely coffee sleeve-I just love the fabric and pattern!

something to dress up my daily cup of coffee and it's earth-friendly since I won't be using paper coffee sleeves anymore.

I'm loving Jenny's art prints and paintings, they are so full of inspirations, hope and love. Let's get to know Jenny and see where her inspirations come from:

Tell us about yourself. I’m a thirty-something wife and mom who loves to create things. I have four children (ages 12, 10, 4 and 1 ½) and one incredibly hard working and very talented husband (he’s pretty much my hero).

I love to work in different mediums and have just discovered my love for mixed media painting about a year ago. It’s been very therapeutic and empowering. For the past six months I’ve been interning with San Francisco artist, Mati Rose McDonough (matirose.com).

I attribute my love of fabric and sewing to my great grandma, Ruby Hart. (stay tuned on my blog for updates about my upcoming handcrafted line called jenuineruby).

My desire is that my artwork and handmade items are inspired, and that they encourage and bring a smile to those who see and use them.

What made you start your business? I’ve been making things for as long as I can remember, and until recently, only gave them as gifts. I was often encouraged by family and friends to make more and sell my creations and finally decided to give it ago about a year ago, selling in my online shop, http://jennyswanson.etsy.com.

What you plan to accomplish with your business? I was a stay-at-home mom since having our first child, over 12 years ago, but because of the current economy and the affect it’s had on our family’s finances, I’m now working as a barista at Starbucks. I love my job, but ultimately want to be home full time again. I plan to grow my business online and locally enough to work from home exclusively as soon as possible.

What you get most out of having your own business? What I love most about owning my own business is the liberty I have in choosing how to spend my time, what to create, and having the time to spend with my family. I love that as my interests and ideas change, I have total freedom to refocus my efforts.

Your favorite independently owned online shop? My favorite place to “window shop” is the front page of etsy.com. I occasionally click on the “see even more recent items” and swoon over things that I’d love to order.

Any updates about your shop? This week I am busy creating, and will add some new items to my shop by the beginning of next week.

-----------------------------

Oooh, I am sure we'll be tuning in to Jenny's blog and see what new items she will be adding to her shop! Thanks very much, Jenny. I've enjoyed swapping with you!

And also a big thanks to Pattie for organizing this {shop, swap & blog}

sweet november

Gone October comes November already. The day after Halloween, I'm still tired from last night's fun. Hope everyone had a fun and spooky Halloween!

BTW, this lovely photo just feels perfect for November 1st...beginning of fall and end of Halloween. Don't you think?

photo credit: The Blackbird

just one more day

Almost heading to the weekends! What I need is some of my favorite music, favorite book, lavender candles, my comforty pjs and have a nice, relaxing evening.

I'm currently loving these pretty and inspiring photos by Alice Gao--perfect & lovely images to end the day with.

Photos credit: Alice Gao from here.

Out Septmeber, In October

Already October! Is it me, or did the time really fly by? Seems like the year of 2009 just began a short while ago, but there's only 3 more months left till 2010! Came across this cute handmade children's book on etsy via here: Time has wings..and it flies... that I totally agree!

iB Crafty

checked out iB Crafty event today--an event with handmade crafts and food created by local designers. perhaps, i should try to apply and be one of the vendors at the next event. Felt really happy to hear some good compliments of my lace necklace from some of the vendors there =) Thanks Mina for always wearing it and help showing it off!

Art pieces were also in display. Here are few of my favorites!

They are made by pretty fabric!!

rainny Saturday

It's weird to have rain in September in the city. we usually get hot weather since we're approaching Indian summer...I miss the sun.

but if only raindrops come in color,

and umbrellas look as cool as this,

I probably wouldn't mind rainny days all the time.

credit: mobile rain of colors by leptitpapillon and umbrellas shoot by Gregorie Alexandre

new favorite goodies found!

Had a great time at the Indie Mart today! Great items found and loving the hand-made jewelry and vintage western tube top I got! Awesome to find out that some of these vendors are also selling on etsy!

I'm also loving this lovely dress-the fabric and color, everything!. After Indie Mart, my friend and I also went to this new store New People that just opened yesterday in Japantown.

Though Lolita is not exactly my style but I'm loving the cute, lacey tank tops and accessories. Besides that, there are also other fantastic bookstore (with cute home decor and stationary!) and awesome shoe store.

(You'll have to excuse me for the yellowish lighting in the display.)

I wish this pair of shoes have women's sizes!

The store also has an art gallery on the top floor, which I missed! Definitely will be going back there soon!

new blog = new inspiration

I'm discovering so many design blogs out there these days, all filled with unique, creative, beautiful photographs, papers & stationary, jewelry, and home decor things!

This one in particular, tea for joy, is having a competition for its new store opening Papermash. And the prize: one year's worth of stationary! How cool is that?! Pretty stationary & notebook & illustrative tapes (I want those lace tapes!). That's also pretty clever way to spread the words about your new store.

I entered it already. And you should too!

Paris Polaroid

Lace tape - which I really want!

Typewriter tape - I want this too!

Monday with package!

It's not a good to start the week when you have a bad case of sore throat and under the drowsy effect of cold medicine....

But my Monday is a bit better when I receive my package from oh, hello friend. Been waiting for these lovely hair clips to arrive! I'm usually not a hair clip person but these are just too pretty to resist!

Yea for Fridays!

This week has been overwhelming...but thank goodness it's Friday! The picture is exactly what I felt like. This is taken by Gregoire Alexandre, a French photographer. Really love his work, especially this one:

Looking at this one always cheers me up for some reason.

Happy Friday and weekend!

Happy Weddings!

Wedding bells are ringing everywhere--I hear about it either from coworkers and friends who are attending weddings, or from bloggers blogging about weddings, or from my cousin who just got engaged!

While reading through the Design*Sponge blog, I came across this really creative wedding invitation (click on the invite to enlarge):


This practically saves a lot of time from re-telling the story to relatives and friends on how they met, what they went through to their wedding vows...When I get marry (in the far, far future), I wanna do this too for my wedding invites!

artsy ring

I really like this curvy ring a lot from La Garconne. It's so artsy!

Doesn't the curve looks like the cursive letter "J"?

"J" for Jasmin!

still breathing...

found this while looking through here at etsy.com...this is what I soooo need right now during this time of upcoming projects due dates and finals and somewhat urgent unfinished piles at work...eeeeek....

Hilarious~

A design by Ben Chlapek that I found here.

I sooo know a handful of people to give this to!