Monday, September 30, 2013

Ghostlets!


A quick little post today, just in time for Halloween! Sweet little Ghostlets with the friendliest smiles for your coat lapel, bag, or costume -- anywhere really! They're also the perfect size for just sitting in your pocket to keep you company, and are sure to bring a smile to anyone as a gift. They're soft and cuddly, and each is one-of-a-kind; no two are exactly alike!

Ghostlet pins are in the shop now (there are only three); if you're interested in having one, be the first to leave a comment here or email me letting me know by October 4th -- I'll give you a special 10% discount code ;)

Blessed new week everyone!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

kid ware

Just a quick little crafty post today. I'd painted the porcelain candy dish in the bottom corner as a gift, and on a whim decided to get the girls plates to work on as well. I was curious to see how they'd handle the colour and decoration, and honestly, I think theirs are way better than mine (mine's Leo the lion -- he seems rather subdued compared to the kids' lol)!

Roro's. I loved the confidence with which she executed each image. Do you have a favourite? Mine are the bugs and that pin!

Becky's. I love the minimalist, vaguely Scandinavian quality of this -- she too was very sure of her design and strokes. They're wanting to set up a ceramics or pottery works -- I'm seriously considering it lol!

Hooray for kid crafts! Have a peaceful, blessed week everyone!

Friday, September 20, 2013

go ahead and say it

Next on my list of vintage eye candy -- my all-time favourite, Gregory Peck. Ah, six feet three inches of gorgeousness.

"Perfection".

O, alright -- one more.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

on being really really blessed


Thank you so much everyone who left me such kind, supportive comments on my last post and who wrote me such warm, encouraging emails. They meant so much to me, far more than you could know -- it's just another proof of God's loving presence in my life. With such experience and revelation come a wonderful uplifting, and reassurance of God's faithfulness.

I was just telling my husband last night how much I love his mother's cheerful, optimistic, genuinely sanguine attitude. Once, she almost died from a terrible infection, but even through the long days of being in hospital, in pain and the doctors unable to come to any conclusions, she remained calm and unworried, listening to music on her little radio, and chatting just as usual to anyone who cared to.

Referring to how people either have a glass-half-full or half-empty approach to life, my husband says she's the sort who, even if she had just a quarter of an inch of water left in her glass, would still happily say "Look how much I have!" I really need to learn from her -- I think I am, bit by bit, by God's grace.

However, I did not intend this post to be entirely serious and reflective; while I have some free time now, I thought I'd also share with you some fun stuff the kids and I had been up to -- yay! For one thing, they finally got to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera!

There they are at the top, all-dressed up in their silk dresses -- I hadn't told them I was bringing them to see Phantom, despite the continual begging to for months; that night I told them we were going to a friend's wedding dinner, which they bought (in fact, I think they were rather looking forward to doing that).

It was great fun of course. I hadn't seen Phantom since I was in high school; it was fascinating watching it again over 25 years later, this time with children and the added pleasure of their enjoyment. Here, a little family portrait in the theatre lobby :)

Now this is what pure happiness looks like.

The place is humongous -- I'm always impressed by this gigantic "fountain" called the Rain Oculus.

Nothing quite like a sad little monkey with cymbals to bring on every poignant memory you've ever had. Read more here!

Then, there was our little staycation! O man, I can't tell you how much I needed and appreciated that time away. I mean, you know I love Jakey to bits, but sometimes one really does need to just kick back and zone out to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed. There's Becky doing the dance of joy.

And Ro doing hers.

A hotel mirror portrait with Becky almost two years after this one. Yeah, I'm pretty set in my sartorial ways.

The kids always welcome a swim. 

All wrapped up afterward.

And then of course -- those wonderful breakfasts. How indescribably uplifting to saunter downstairs and find tables full of comfort food just waiting to be picked! I wish I knew how they do their scrambled eggs -- smooth, and sort of creamy. I'm told I make great scrambled eggs, but I still want to know how hotels do theirs! What's your scrambled egg recipe?

Another mirror portrait, this time with Ro. You can see my super fashionable thumb splint here!

Fountain fun.

Feeling luxurious with complimentary drinks after an awesome time out.

Miss Too-Cool-For-School.

I was super glad to find these Japanese fish-shaped cakes called taiyaki. I haven't had these in eons, like since I was eight or something, and always associate them with outings with my Mom. This place -- called Ooki -- has the usual red bean filling which I love, but they have other cool flavours too, like chocolate, and ham and cheese. Becky and Ro were immediate converts!

Home after a hard day's shopping (I wanted to put the word home in quotes, but Becky said don't).

Our feelings whenever it's time to go. We'll be back though -- we'll be back!!!

Have a lovely, blessed week everyone! (More pictures here :)

Friday, September 13, 2013

on freaking, loneliness and love


Hi everyone! How have you been? I trust you are all keeping well in every sense! I'd been dealing with an infection over the past few days; thankfully, I'm well on the mend now, praise the Lord.

At the start, when it looked and felt particularly nasty, I must admit to giving in to some freaking, self-pity, and emotionalism (have you noticed how sometimes, when you're going through something especially challenging, you have this pathetic "poor me" feeling that you're the only one who has ever had to endure?). This may be connected to my wacky postpartum hormones, but I'm aware that freaking and worry are bugbears I'm still in the process of conquering. However, as Joyce Meyer always says, I'm not where I need to be yet, but thank God I'm not where I used to be!

Well, after a bout of freaking self-pitying emotionalism, I collected myself, sat down to earnestly pray, and had a sudden revelation. I felt in my spirit that the root of my anxiety was twofold; first -- an unrealistic, extreme sense of perfectionism (in this instance, not being a perfect mom because I was unwell), and therefore, second -- a fear of being alone and unloved because I wasn't perfect after all.

As I prayed, I felt with increasing conviction and clarity that I was not alone and unloved, that God was with me, and that He had in fact never left me; I realised -- as my whole life right up to the present moment flashed before me -- that I have in fact always been in His keeping, and He literally holds me up and carries me when I am weak.

I felt Him trying to impress upon me that I am never alone, however I may feel, that not only is He always with me through all the imperfections of this fallen world, but He has surrounded me with people who love me as unconditionally as humanly possible despite my flaws and weaknesses, and who will always be there for me as earthly reflections of God's divine faithfulness. In this life, I think, that is all you really need. Even if you aren't a Christian, the unconditional love of even one faithful friend is such a blessing, providing an invaluable strength, help, comfort and encouragement through life's various challenges.

This verse kept coming to my mind: "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deut 31:8). I have been meditating much on it, trying to really wrap my head around it and get it on the inside of me, rather than merely mouthing it at a superficial level without any real conviction.

Coincidentally, I am re-reading the book of Joshua at present; four times within just one chapter the Lord says, "Be strong and of good courage". Indeed, He says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Josh 1:9; italics mine).

In quite prosaic terms, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me, "Stop freaking. There is really no need to freak about anything, nor is there any point in doing so. Life is simply all sorts of things one after another -- just take them as they come with sanguinity, a divine peace, and also with gratitude -- better that than panic and worry, which only make one uselessly miserable. Get your mind off yourself and remember that this too shall pass". When I also hear my husband, and even Becky, telling me the same things, I feel certain God is impressing on me a life-changing revelation.

I was on the phone with my girlfriend during this time and in the course of the conversation asked that she please pray for me (I am quite certain her prayers are largely inspired by the Holy Spirit, for she is never even half as eloquent or wise in her regular speech -- sorry K, haha!). Well, I expected her to pray for healing, which she did, but then at the end, she suddenly branched off into something else altogether -- she prayed that my thinking would be renewed, that I would focus on the positive, and that I would always be thankful for my strong marriage and loving family. It was a reminder of how blessed I am, something one can easily forget in the midst of self-pity or worry.

I remember Mother Teresa once said, "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty". I am so thankful for a husband and children who tirelessly remind me that I do not have to deal with either of these. I recall, too, reading an article where the actress Anne Hathaway said, "Loneliness is my least favorite thing about life. The thing that I'm most worried about is just being alone without anybody to care for or someone who will care for me". I personally am fine with solitude and, indeed, sometimes welcome it; but since being married and having children, I have realised the joy not only of rowdy family, but also of solitude without loneliness.

Well, these have been my thoughts over the past few housebound days; I thought I'd share them with you, for they might perhaps be a word in season for someone, somewhere. These posts -- here, here and here -- came to my mind as well; I myself shall be re-reading them!

P.S. A more fun post coming up soon -- yay!

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