2. Consider having a loft.
3. Maximize natural light with windows and mirrors.
4. Have a great patio.
5. Have multipurpose furniture 
Tips for small spaces
1. Make use of small nooks.
2. Consider having a loft.
3. Maximize natural light with windows and mirrors.
4. Have a great patio.
2. Consider having a loft.
3. Maximize natural light with windows and mirrors.
4. Have a great patio.
grey
In a society obsessed with youth-worship, why must we conform?
Why must culture compel us to deny our natural selves, why is age despised?
I strongly believe older persons have great value and should be revered. Grey hair should be a crown of honor, a mark of respect.
When I grow old, I don't want to be in denial like 63-year old Cher or 51-year old Madonna. I want to embrace my age and be better for it.
Quaint
Hat-boxes stacked up high.Piles of books.
A pot of flowers carelessly strewn.
That screen held together by (gasp) ribbons!
Chevron dreams
I'm currently madly in love with Chevron! I think it looks great on a floor, a desk, or on a dress. Let me show you what I mean...
There's a great "How To" paint a chevron pattern on Kelly + Olive's blog
classic Black & White chevron painted floor on absolutely beautiful things
Pretty pink diagonal chevron print rug in the house of Nicole of making it lovely fame.
There's a great "How To" paint a chevron pattern on Kelly + Olive's blog
classic Black & White chevron painted floor on absolutely beautiful things
Pretty pink diagonal chevron print rug in the house of Nicole of making it lovely fame.
Stunning chevron dress at the awe-inspiring Max Wanger blog which I'm sure you've all heard of by now.
to create is to destroy. byron
This quote reminds me of the scene in PS I Love You where Holly Kennedy(Hillary Swank) and Gerry Kennedy (Gerard Butler) are getting to know each other for the first time and the wide-eyed art student Holly suddenly bursts out:
"All I know is, if you don't figure out this something, you'll just stay ordinary, and it doesn't matter if its a work of art or a taco, or a pair of socks! Just create something... new, and there it is, and its you, out in the world, out side of you and you can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it... and you know a little more about... you. A little bit more than anyone else does... Does that make any sense at all? "
je ne sais quoi
1. Brilliant way to use your chalkboard. Perfect for writing grocery lists or recipes!2. Love the potted plant atop the fridge.
3. Good use of an otherwise awkward corner.
4. I like the fridge's position - standing alone and not pushed to a corner.
5. Too often, we push our furniture to a corner because we think it saves space.
6. It's predictable, potentially ugly, and attracts dust.
7. Spreading your furniture apart, when done correctly, makes the room look 'full'.
church and state
Simplicity = perfection = a racerback LBD with brass buttons from Church and State.
MOMA animal postcards
Adorable animal postcards http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Animal%20Postcards_10451_10001_57995_-1_11628_11628_null__#
A sight to behold. Bags from 
kitchen love
For some reason, I think these two photos go well together. Vintage kitchen.
Softest pastel hues.
Retro containers.
trees & birds
My fondness for trees and birds is unexplainable.Kitsch, I know, but nonetheless, i'm totally digging it.
Love the detailing in the recliner. And the yellow desk!
Charles & Keith to open in Mid Valley!
On the way back from lunch today, a sign caught my eye. "under construction". Yes, another new shop, this is a mall, shops change all the time.
Taking a closer look at the new shop that was opening, I involuntarily drew a sharp intake of breath.
Charles & Keith!
In my work place, Mid Valley!
Whoa.... visions of after work browsing danced in my head. Endless stolen glances as I pass by the shop window every morning, noon and night..
Be still, my heart...
Random thoughts
1. I love a beautifully laid out table.Casual cotton or linen looks fresh when paired with in-season flowers and a few thoughtful touches make it special -a sprig of berries from the garden ties together mismatched tableware.
2. Speaking of berries, how about a bowl of fresh raspberries and blueberries, and i dont mean just in your morning cereal.
3. The perfect companions for a lazy afternoon - a floaty hammock and a good read. Sigh. A girl can dream.
4. Even plain white walls look great with well-hung wall art and a strategically placed bouquet of flowers. 
5. Vintage bicycle, wicker basket, flowers, and that dress. It doesn't get much more perfect than this.
6. Not everything in the world has to have a purpose. Sometimes, being beautiful is the purpose for which a thing exists.Spring Panzanella
Spring Panzanella
serves 4
1/2 loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1” cubes
4 T olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 medium leek, sliced thin
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 15.5-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 c wild arugula (or other spring greens)
1 T fresh mint leaves, chopped
2-3 T fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar
I have no idea what cannellini beans are, and I don't know where to buy wild arugula.
But judging by the photo and list of ingredients, this looks fabulous!
Get the full recipe on http://fresh365.blogspot.com/
is this your luggage
http://www.isthisyourluggage.com/Site/LANDING.htmlA site that helps you find your lost luggage.
Wow, if only they have that for all the wallets, phones, and bags that get lost in the world.
Tree Houses
This made me relive my childhood fantasies of building a treehouse. (Not a realistic fantasy since Malaysian trees are not suited for building treehouses. Plus, I dont even know how to climb a tree.
But these are sophisticated grown-up versions of tree houses. Drool worthy indeed!
A Fine Little Day
It's a fine little day over at a fine little day .
Where else to find such Scandinavian goodness?
Why do bare fields and simple composition always look so moving? To me?
The Economy and The New Normal
Can't help reposting this food for thought blogged by simple lovely :
" I loved this piece entitled “The New Normal” from Tuesday’s All Things Considered...
I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of “recalibrating” our lives due to the economic situation and what specifically that means for my family (beyond the spending hiatus.)
Call me an optimist, but I'm convinced that this period of re-thinking how we live, dialing back and becoming more mindful (whether forced or voluntary) will absolutely change our lives for the better.
My favorite line from the piece is the prediction that we will "drive smaller cars and live larger lives."
After listening to the piece, I decided to do the exercise and come up with our family’s “New Normal.” This is what I’ve come up with so far:
We’ll buy less stuff and when we do buy, we’ll save up for things we love, that we’ll have for the long run -- no more disposable clothes, toys, house stuff…
We’ll eat out less and cook more
We’ll drive less and bike more
We’ll have more new experiences and support businesses and organizations we believe in (i.e. museums, education, local/ independent businesses, the farmer’s market)
We’ll spend even more time ingraining in our girls the value of things, how lucky we are and how quickly life can change…how to adapt.
What’s your new normal?"
" I loved this piece entitled “The New Normal” from Tuesday’s All Things Considered...
I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of “recalibrating” our lives due to the economic situation and what specifically that means for my family (beyond the spending hiatus.)
Call me an optimist, but I'm convinced that this period of re-thinking how we live, dialing back and becoming more mindful (whether forced or voluntary) will absolutely change our lives for the better.
My favorite line from the piece is the prediction that we will "drive smaller cars and live larger lives."
After listening to the piece, I decided to do the exercise and come up with our family’s “New Normal.” This is what I’ve come up with so far:
We’ll buy less stuff and when we do buy, we’ll save up for things we love, that we’ll have for the long run -- no more disposable clothes, toys, house stuff…
We’ll eat out less and cook more
We’ll drive less and bike more
We’ll have more new experiences and support businesses and organizations we believe in (i.e. museums, education, local/ independent businesses, the farmer’s market)
We’ll spend even more time ingraining in our girls the value of things, how lucky we are and how quickly life can change…how to adapt.
What’s your new normal?"
Geek Love
Like a dreamFor The Love of Parents
http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/ by Philip Toledano. A heartbreaking true story of a son capturing his father's last days on camera. His father's poignant swansong is a series of lessons which allow him to see the man in a way he never could before, and through the process, accept his dying days as 'a gift' which draws them closer.
As I saw this, I was reminded of the Singaporean movie "Money No Enough II", a powerful portrayal of one mother's love for her children. She is uncomplaining, forgiving, and generous towards her children. Despite being unappreciated and unrequited, she makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her family. A touching and thoroughlly Asian movie.
I would love for you to watch it.
macaroon love
Ever since I missed eating the izzi macaroons during Mr. J's sisters' birthday party, i've been noticing gorgeous photos of them in blogs. I'm now officially fixtated with wanting to taste one.
I just can't imagine what it will taste like. Will it be squishy like a bun, or crumbly like a biscuit? Flaky? Mushy?
Oh the curiosity is driving me crazy.
best behaviour
http://www.bestbehavior.dk/ is probably suitable for Danes or Heidi Klum or taller people.
Not something I would normally wear.
But nevertheless, very interesting collection.
cynthia vincent
(jessica jensen foldable clutch and musa swarovski-embellished sandals)
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chinatown, think again
Lovely photos of chinatown taken from a field journal .
I wonder if Petaling Street could ever look this pretty?
One for the guys...
Q: Which friendly lifestyle magazine gives you tips on pronouncing Designer Names without being snobbish?A: Valet, is a (sort of) new men's lifestyle magazine bringing you the how-to's and handbooks of what a guy is supposed to know but can't figure out how to learn.
thanks, martha
Major, major crush on 
Google Search Top 10 Pillows
Immortalize each year's top 10 Google search terms from 2005 to present on a pillow representing each respective year.
Cutting edge Elodie Blanchard for you.
(Move over, Jonathan Adler)
LEGO namecard
Oooh! Can I work in LEGO just so they make me a 'namecard' like this? I'm told they also try to match your hair color.
Glue and Glitter
Found via tea for joy, a giveaway for the items above, and more!
Go visit Glue and Glitter's Folksy or Etsy shops to enter the giveaway, or just read Glue and Glitter's blog for other pretty things.
guerilla gastronomy
Greenhouse by Joost is located next to ACMI at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia. I live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so I won't be popping by any time soon.
But I find the concept interesting.
The entire cafe has been described as ‘guerilla gastronomy’ and everything there is made entirely from recycled and recyclable materials.
According to the Greenhouse by Joost website, this is what to expect:
“tiny ‘taste-tubes’ (science laboratory ware is just some of the discard to double as dishes) will be served by vintage-dressed waiters wheeling ‘de-registered’ shopping trolleys around furniture made from found ‘stuff’.”
Anyone going to Melbourne soon? check it out and let me know :)
Anne P. Smith's robots
You really have to look at Anne P. Smith's robots here .
Constructed entirely of electronics and broken machine parts, they are sold in boutiques, displayed in galleries and used as illustrations in magazines and advertisements.
Can you recognize any of the parts?
p.s the animations on the site are amazing!
Embroidery Cafe
Beautiful and haphazard styling in the Japanese craft book Embroidery Café.
I really really want to learn how to make cloth covers for my books.
Chalkboard table
Chalkboards i've seen.But a chalk-painted antique table?
So lovely!
(but i'm wondering if it's practical.)
Michelle Woo
New to me blog highlight: michelle woo
Always an entertaining read, Michelle is funny, irreverant, and tall! Doesn't she look great in these photos taken by her friend Harrison? (That's her in purple)
If her blog were a book, it would rank among Alexandra Potter and Sophie Kinsella as those enjoyable semi-chic-lit reads that every twenty-something girl can nod and laugh to, but still remain relevant for guys. Cool!
Umbrella
It rained this morning and it made me think of umbrellas.
Check out these cool umbrella art installations via crooked brains
(Bet you never thought umbrellas could look this fabulous, or even work as a lampshade!)
But what I would really really would love to stash in my bag is a transparent umbrella!
Handy dandy lightweight and useful to ward off the sudden tropical showers we get so often. But also very stylish!
If someone gave me a transparent umbrella, I would think of them every time I was under their umbrella... (couldnt resist the pun.)
Have a good day, lovelies!
If my house was teal and olive, this is what I could look like.
In praise of Natsumi Nishizumi
I really enjoy the simple posts at Natsumi Nishizumi . Attention to detail. In delightful doses.
A bird outline made from colored thread. Leaves arranged to look like a face. Flowers on fabric. Cotton buds looking like snowflakes. And a fabulous fabric origami giraffe.
So plain. So Japanese. So Muji.
Composition is everything.
A studio should be....
1. Organized.
2. Inspiring.
3. Beautiful.
Wouldn't you like to work in such a space?
Oh, Hello Friend!
I've mentioned before how much I enjoy reading oh hello friend .
I've also shown some of the necklaces she sells on her etsy shop.
Now it's time to show some of the lovely papergoods she creates.
Her designs are a mixture of simple + sweet. Very, very nice!
I've also shown some of the necklaces she sells on her etsy shop.
Now it's time to show some of the lovely papergoods she creates.
Her designs are a mixture of simple + sweet. Very, very nice!
Bedrooms
Love me some white bedrooms.
With fluffy sheepskin rugs.
And wonderful patterned headboards or amazing bedframes.
And loads of natural light streaming in the windows.
And pretty patterned bed linen.
Please pretty bedclothes.
Egg Chair
1. The Egg chair celebrated its 50th anniversary last year
2. Designed by Denmark's most renowned architect, slash designer, Arne Jacobsen.
3. After building the Radisson SAS Hotel in Copenhagen, Jacobsen designed the egg chair to become part of the interior.
4. The organically shaped chair ensured privacy in the hotel lobby - each guest sits in their own 'cocoon'.
5. Half a century later, there's still one room in the hotel, Room 606, that features the original Arne Jacobsen interior.
