i {heart} work : college38

before i begin to write my blog entry today, i have to wish my fiance a very very happy birthday! it's so strange thinking about how paths cross. we are polar opposites and yet somehow the stars aligned and here we are today. some people think that they can accomplish things on their own, that they can step on, use, abuse others in order to get ahead in life, that as long as they gain something themselves, nothing else matters. for some, this may be their way of living life and everyone has a right to believe what they like. but i don't feel that i can live in this manner. i know that because of the support of others, their love and generosity, i am where i am today. i could not be doing what i love if it wasn't for the people who were there supporting me. it is not about what i can gain from others, but in fact, what i can give to people. my finace has showed me what unconditional love really means and because of him, i can tell people, "yes, i love what i do." thank you.

when viewing the work of college 38 created by textile/graphic designer + illustrator miwa akabane, it makes me think about the intimate interconnected relations we have in life. not just human + human connections, but with nature, ourselves and our surroundings. almost as if a whisper could describe the details of her work — quiet and yet attentive to details, subdue and yet has a specific message. if you don't pay attention, you might miss it, but if you take a moment to really 'listen', you could enjoy the 'conversation' with the piece. quite enchanting. makes me feel like summer is almost here...

wish i could bite into a cold, crisp, sweet watermelon while being shaded under a big tree...

// college38

shopaholic : ruche

with spring filling the air (and for some... a lot of pollen + sneezing) i have been in the mood for flowers and feminine accents. although i don't like things to look too 'girly', i do enjoy a mix of pieces that give a hint of feminine allure.

while doing some eye-shopping, i came across these pieces from boutique ruche and i must say, just looking at them makes me realize why i love being a woman. i would love to have these pieces in my collection as every time i open my closet, it would remind me of my favorite season, spring.

// ruche

i {heart} work : briones + co.

happy wednesday! i can't how fast time is flying by~ it's already past the half way point in april! wow... where is the time going?

i remember when i was little all i wanted was to hurry and become a grown up so that i could have more freedom to do whatever i liked. i hated being told what to do and when to do it. one day, i asked my mom why it felt like an eternity before i would become an adult and why older people always say that time is going by so fast. i didn't see how anyone could feel that way. she replied, "when you're little, you have so much of life ahead of you, but as you grow older, the time between when you were born and when you will pass away becomes shorter. that's why adults always say that time is going by so fast and for you, you feel that everyday is so long. don't worry, one day you'll know what we're talking about."

now i know.

and to be honest, to this day, although i'm not sure if what my mother shared with me is true or not, but i believe her. when i was little, i noticed every sunrise, rainy day (i even had a photo documentation called 'the rainy day' and it was just photos of.... the rain outside my window.) i want to go back to the days where the little details matter and how it allows for more imagination and exploration.

when looking at briones + co.'s work & photography, it reminds me of just this. a moment. a memory. dreamy, playful, laughter and capturing these moments. the photos make me smile. so much can be said in one frame. take a peek at their beautiful work... perhaps it'll conjure up some memories of your own childhood. definitely makes me want to bake some cupcakes and pass them out to neighbors and friends. now... to find some time lying around somewhere...

// briones + co.

ampersand tote feat. on etsy treasury

so very honored to have my designDiapason : ampersand tote featured on littletoad's etsy treasury today! really exciting seeing other people's work and how typography is being infused into creations. please take a minute to look at the other chosen works~ so fun! thank you so much for listing my item little toad.

// { Take a &TAND, an ampersand that is } : etsy

fashion*obsession : built by wendy

although i have always heard from others that anything is possible if you want it badly enough, i always wondered how sustainable it would be to build a company purely from one's own two hands... literally. in a society where abundance, mass-production, machinery, ikea-ism and more-is-better ideology, would anyone even be interested in a product that was 100% made by hand and be willing to pay a premium for an item that was produced in such a manner? my own interest has been to create goods in such a way, each individual item carefully crafted with thought and intention behind it. nothing would be over made and there would be no waste.

while hunting for possible mentors or individuals who have built up their dreams in such a way, i ran into a video from etsy documenting wendy mullin, the creator of built by wendy. i'm sure many had already known of her when i discovered wendy as her line of clothing is beautiful yet accessible, not something that only runway models would look good in. but what interested me more than her clothing line was how she began her company, her passion and determination to build it up 'by hand'. the more i learned about her, the more i realized that in fact, if you truly believe in your own philosophy and stay true to yourself, that it will translate. it will become a reality.

i'm not here to judge anyone's way of building their dreams. dreams are built in many ways, some build it by brick, others mass-production, some straw, others through child-labor. ok, i'm -not- cool with child labor. but many ways of realizing one's dreams. i am all for people realizing those dreams and pursuing what makes you happy. truly happy. i'll just choose to use my own two hands and hopefully make my dreams come true. thank you wendy for giving me the courage to push forward.




// built by wendy

i want : tea note

i love tea. 

i'm not sure what it is about it, but i guess if i had to describe what it is that i feel when taking a sip, the closest descriptive word is pure relaxation. the warm fluids moving down into my tummy, the comfort you feel when holding the mug cup, the intoxicating smell of all the blended ingredients, which together create this wonderful moment. i love it all~ and even more so, i truly enjoy having a little sweet something to nibble on while sipping tea. it's really a time of bliss.

not only is tea itself something i long for and enjoy, but many of the accessories and packaging associated with tea + tea sweets just makes it a complete experience... and i think i have found another company that i can obsess about. tea note specializes in tea and anything related to this drink. the packaging and accessories are simple + inviting... they even sell cute little cookie cutters! i want it all! if you are a tea lover, you definitely must go and take a look at their selection. 

now, if you'll excuse me, i must indulge in an afternoon cup of tea before cooking dinner. 

// tea note

shopaholic : liberty of london

while out running errands with my folks this afternoon, we passed by a full bloom cherry blossom tree... ah yes, it's spring. and with spring comes many traditional and non-traditional happenings, i.e. spring cleaning, spring love, but for myself, spring is a time of new awakenings/thoughts/beginnings. a renewed self-awareness.

this spring, the spirit of beginning anew is awakened once again and feel that this type of passion is what must have propelled many entrepreneurs to begin long lasting creations. liberty of london, which is a 'must visit' on my next trip to london, i feel began with one person and their vision to create something that they believed in.


since 1875, liberty has been synonymous with luxury and great design. arthur liberty's intuitive vision and pioneering spirit led him to travel the world looking for individual pieces to inspire and excite his discerning clientele.


i truly hope that one day, no matter how small or large, i will also be able to make the vision in my mind a reality.

// liberty of london

happy birthday (card) dad!

every year for my dad's (or anyone in my family for that matter) birthday, we always give each other a card. while growing up, i remember my parents saying to me that more than any materialistic item you may give someone, your thoughts towards that individual is what will last the longest. since then, when i receive a gift, although very thankful for any 'thing' that i may receive, the card that someone gives me is the main course of the present.

for the past few years now since practicing design, i have been creating these 'cards' from the computer, but this year, i decided that i wanted to go back to my foundation card-making process (discovered when i was 3) and create a-la-analog. a bit strange at first to be making something all by hand, but as i began the process, i was beginning to re-discover why i love what i do. i love creating things. i love the process of making something and the tactile satisfaction of holding it in my hand after it's finished.

dad, it's not your birthday yet, but your card is ready. can't wait to give it to you!

fashion*obsession : high tea with mrs. woo (aus)

after trying to satiate my craving for some magazines last saturday, i was out of luck in trying to find several of the publications that have been on my 'magazine watch' list. luckily though, i was able to hunt down habitus magazine and have been enjoying my conquest.

one article in the magazine caught my attention and after further digging, found that the aesthetic of this company (fashion/design) tugs on my design soul. have you ever wondered why people have different preferences for a particular 'look'? i could never understand where this 'feeling' comes from, but i do know that when i see it, i know it. that is exactly what happened when i saw the designs from high tea with m rs. woo. the magazine article starts by describing:

high tea with mrs woo is a fashion label originally out of newcastle run by three sisters.

and if you're interested in finding out more, pick up issue 06 of habitus magazine on news stands out now~ now... if you'll excuse me, i'm going to go try and find where i can meet their creations in person. too-da-loo~

// high tea with mrs. woo

fashion*obsession : lu flux

i remember when i was little, wearing clothes was not to impress anyone, but a time of fantasy and make-believe. when i twirled around in a baby blue puffy dress, i was cinderella or an apron over my clothes meant that i was a french house maid working in the palace quarters. clothes allowed me to explore far off places, animated castles, or anywhere my imagination decided to take me.

when viewing clothes from lu flux, it reminded me of the memories of what clothes once meant to me when i was a little girl. fun, over the top and everything was appropriate as long as i was having fun. their concepts for fashion and photography evokes images of dress up, make believe tea parties and joyful moments. take a peek and you might soon see yourself when you were little, running in the grass, holding a wand and trying to change frogs into princes.

// lu flux

studio {love} : war design (aus)

lately i've been a huge fan of the work that is coming out of australia. so many talented designers/artists/craftistas and of course, they house one of my favorite magazines, frankie.

while browsing through some packaging design eye-candy on the dieline, i was intrigued by the 12 inches packaging done by war design. little did i know, they were a design studio based in australia. go figure! i decided to investigate a little bit more on what other work they have done and of course, everything else was just as interesting! i really love the diversity of their work... so many different elements mixed in together.

i must go to australia sometime again soon~~ i feel like i'm missing out on some very creative energy.

// war design