{hanging baubles}

i've had this in mind for a loooong time but just didnt get 'round to doing it.



{via apt 34}

{xmas 2009 & anticipating 2010}


apologies for the lack of posts lately. it's been pretty hectic running around, shopping for gifts, wrapping, doing up our wedding album (it's almost ready!) i never seem to be done with it being the perfectionist that i am. christmas was special this year with family (+ hubs) & close friends. everyone absolutely loved their gifts.

career wise, things (hopefully) are looking up. i'l be posted to a another dept as a training manager, planning and conceptualising networking events, roadshows, seminars, doing publicity+marketing. lots of handing over, lots of work expected in the coming wks. so till then, have a great new year! i will attempt to post some pics real soon.



{via captivate me.}

i bought this. how cute!



{ring in the new year}



with my glittery shoes! i had to put this up as i got reminded of my wedding shoes {shown below}.


see the resemblance?



{image on top via dress, design & decor}

{there is no end. there is no beginning. there is only the passion of life.}

was looking through some pics that were taken during our wedding planning process. i kinda miss that stage in my life. each day i was exploring ideas, searching thru fantastic blogs for pictures that resonated with my ideas, and if i did find that picture, oh my. the excitement - i miss it. the fresh brainwaves of how we could make our wedding a little more special, a little more different than everyone elses'.

and then i realise, this does not need to end. our apartment will be ready mid next year - hopefully. it'll be a fresh new canvas where i can exercise my creativity everywhere. and when its xmas, i could do this...


or this...



this...



PS. i love golden rochers in a black bowl. chic!


maybe this ...



endless possibilities.



{via delight by design, canadian house & home, fabric of my life,  
creature comforts and desire to inspire }

{500 pieces of prudent advice ...}

i've got friends who have started baby blogs to document the growing up years of their babies that are so precious. i stumbled upon 500 pieces of prudent advice for my baby daughter, and that i tell you, is genius. i'm making a mental note. heh. favorites that resonate with me.
 
#161 live alone for a period of time. I love living with you and your father; I also cherish the years I spent living alone. You shouldn't go from being someone's daughter to someone's wife to someone's mother without first being someone yourself. Living alone will allow you to discover who you are when no one is watching, what you need to get through a day, and ultimately that you are a capable, independent woman. 

#178 the thing about makeup is you want to look like you aren't wearing any. You really don't need to wear makeup, but if you want to (when you are older) that's fine. A coat of mascara and a little blush are the two cosmetics that work best to subtly accentuate your natural features. If you want to even out your skin tone with some foundation, just make sure it's the right shade and blend it well. 

#183 dance. Rhythm, and by extension dance, are uniquely human characteristics - animals don’t sway to music. Your body needs the physical and emotional release. It’s essential that you not worry about what you look like while you’re dancing; it would be a shame if you were so self-conscious that you couldn’t less loose!   

#211 stop when it’s done. with any creative pursuit, learning when to stop is part of the challenge; this type of editing can be what separates ordinary from excellent. It's very easy to make an oil painting muddy, an essay over-complicated, or a stir-fry mushy by not realizing when the work is complete.

{christmas in paris]











{fabulous workspace}

i am missing my personal space at home. how glam is this one!



{via ...etc}

{royal purple}


... that appeals big time.









 


{9 mths of baby}

ok, i'm not getting baby fever but, this particular post reminds me of my little niece and she just turned 9mths last wk. SO adorable!



{i heart}


we are planning to send xmas cards to the nearest and dearest, as well as those who had went out of the way to help make our wedding a roaring success. thought these cards are perfect for them.


{by ink and iron via oh so beautiful paper}

{an inspiring brooklyn home}



 




 

{photos from here}

{chalk white walls + open shelves}

i've been to so many homes with dark and dingy kitchens and it's just not pleasant. for inspiration to kick in all the time, i would like my kitchen to be bright and airy.


chalk white walls.

 


open shelves.

perfect parisian-inspired kitchen with vintage posters/drawings.


 

{images from house and home + OWI + wide open spaces + a life's design}

{a december evening}

this picture depicts a typical december evening perfectly. gloomy yet romantic. i'm gonna meet my bff, jessie for a warm dinner.

have a nice one!
 

{via wide open spaces}

{its xmas again! my fav time of the year}

we were supposed to put up our xmas tree last night but mom's spring cleaning is still on-going so we decided to postpone putting up decos till later in the month. i'm now overflowing with ideas to give our tree and our home an update. how exciting!


oh, i'm crazy about black and white. how chic is that!


gorgeously refreshing theme - glass ornaments with hints of green and turqoise.


modern square wreaths.


give your candelabra an instant update.

{all photos from house and home}

{unlike other dresses}

omigosh. i'm totally in love with this dress.





i'm a little under the weather. all i wish for ... is a good nights rest.

{find yr style}

i took a quiz from here (try it! its pretty accurate) to discover my personal interior style. it seems to be evolving from eclectic to modern elegance. here goes:

"variety is the spice of life! And nowhere is this truer than in the design of your home... you either love contemporary but wish it wasn't quite so cold and austere; or perhaps you've always been drawn to more traditional rooms but are now at a point in your life where you'd like to pair down a bit or want to create a less cluttered and busy space (yes! yes!). transitional style is here to marry those apparent contradicting designs. And guess what — it's the contradictions that make the mix of contemporary and traditional so successful. the result is an elegant room that appeals to young and old alike. a sofa with modern lines blends seamlessly with a pair of traditional chairs. new fabrics work so well on antique pieces. it turns out that modern art looks even more exciting above a collection of traditional pieces. the room feels simple and sophisticated, elegant and hip.

the material palette for transitional style is a wonderful mix as well. wood tones add warmth to the more modern finishes such as metal and glass. fabrics are usually neutral and focus more on texture rather than pattern or color. because you are mixing two very different styles, simplicity is key. carpets are often berber in natural tones, though area rugs can bring in color much like a modern piece of art would. window treatments, when used, are simple in style as well as color and many times you will see natural roman shades or wood blinds used. satin nickel, chrome and stainless are very popular and can modernize an otherwise traditional space. on the flip side, when the room feels more contemporary vintage golds and wrought iron will tame and add warmth to the space. for color think simple. remember that you have set out to create an eclectic mix of two styles and the best way to avoid making the room overbearing is to stay subtle on the walls and ceiling. (my sentiments exactly.) whites and creams are popular and grays, taupe's and tans are darker versions of neutrals that work very well. the simplicity in the color helps keep the space feeling light, airy and fresh. (what i want!) if you'd like to add deeper color choosing one accent wall is a nice way to do so. or add depth by bringing color in at the accessory level (flowers!). the best part about colorful accessories is that you can easily reinvent the space by simply changing the throw pillows to highlight your new favorite color."



{my heart wanders}

the long weekend is here in singapore. my weekend is extra long as i am on leave on monday AND tuesday *yipeeeeee* so, i was scouting ard a good deal to up and go tom(!) to a neighbouring country for a short getaway. in the midst of it all, as usual, i came across an inspiring post yet again. i love meg of a practical wedding. the following story is from a wedding graduate, lauren featured in the blog.

"Last night, I ran into a professor I have crossed paths with over the years at the university I work with. He is a quirky, thoughtful, poem-emailing literature professor, probably in his mid-sixties, who lets long pauses happen in the middle of conversations. I don't see him very often, but have been given very weighty topics to think about every time I do.

The last time I saw him was over a year ago. I was walking with some coworkers to get lunch, and he was walking the opposite direction, and I waved, and he called out, joking, "Why don't you get married and change your last name so I can finally pronounce it?" (Like I said, quirky.) To which my response was to hold up my left hand, since I had gotten engaged only a week earlier. His eyes got very wide, and he gave me a congratulatory hug, and then told me that his wife had passed away from a long battle with cancer.... a week earlier. When I asked him why he was already back at work, he said he didn't know what else to do. And then he looked at me very seriously, and said "My best marriage advice for you is to never, ever put off what you want to do. No matter how good the excuses seem, or how little money you have, or how practical it would be to wait- don't wait. Travel, move, experience new things together, and do them right away. Don't ever put these things off. Promise me."

right. so i should e-mail this rightaway to my hubby so that he would not object to an expensive spa get-away. will let you know of the outcome. ... my heart wanders. heh.


{via everything fab}

{varna restaurant, arhus-denmark}

WHAT eye-popping colors!





{via vernon panton's spaces}

{dressing up a fake fireplace}

who says you need cold weather to have a fireplace? stack 'em up candles or pretty flowers! i'm so tempted to have a one in our new apt.