Cute Kate Spade Bifold Wallet

Kate Spade $175.99

I really dig the texture, the hardware (especially the square rotation part), and the smallness of this wallet. I also like that the change pocket is on the exterior! I do still love my current wallet, and I vowed to stick with it forever having splurged on it few years ago, but when I come across cute little wallets like this, it's so tempting.

Red Blouse

I love this deep red sleeveless blouse found at Banana Republic. This would be so perfect for the holiday get-together! Do you have any holiday plans for this year? I haven't really decided, but I look forward to snowboarding this winter!

Dory says, "Just Keep Swimming"

When you feel like you're down, lost, or hopeless: just keep swimming. Literally. Lately, I've been venting my frustration or stress though swimming. Today, upon receiving an email saying that I was not selected to be on the supply teaching list, I felt so crushed. After 12 hours of work, I quickly grabbed a bite and went for an hour long (1 hour and 15 min to be exact), non-stop, swimming. I just kept on swimming. Someone once said, "You never feel bad after a workout, you only do when you miss a workout." It's so true, something about pushing yourself, a little further, and further, heart beating faster and faster, endorphin being release, you feel a sense of brief bliss, removing oneself from the weight of the world falling on you (or whatever that is bothering you). While you're swimming, you're just focused on stroke, stroke, stroke, breathe, stroke, stroke, stroke, breath. One arm after another, one kick after another, I'm focused.

Yes, Finding Nemo is also one of my favourite movies.

Backyard Studio

Via this Pinterest

My dad and I always talked about building a studio in the backyard. Looking at this outdoor studio, I'm inspired by the possibility!

Kate Spade Bag Love

If you know me, you know I love bags. I do not kid, if I have any weaknesses, it's bags. I've been good over the last year because I've managed to live without buying a new bag. I'm itching for a new bag now! I'm really digging the pattern on the Tell Tale Twinkle bag! Love the lining inside the Cooper Square Helena. Love the festiveness of the golden Shuffled Space Emboseed Bon Shopper. And as alway, I appreciate the "Oxford" look in general, as seen in Essex Scout. If I could, I would buy them all! Maybe I can if I win the million…

which reminds me...

Today as I was buying coffee from a gas station convenience store, the man in front of me dropped a toonie ($2), so I kindly told him that he has dropped his money. With that toonie, he purchased a lottery ticket with a chance of winning few million dollars. He said he'll share the winning bid if he wins, thinking he was just joking, I laughed, but he actually wrote down my name and my email address. I shall keep my eye out for the next lottery winner! He even gave me his business card! It was an awesome way to start my morning. But you know, I'd be also happy to have a full time teaching job so I can afford these bags myself. :)

Something new in the mail

I love getting something I ordered in the mail! After all the waiting… the tiny gold necklace I ordered from TangerineCrimeScene arrived today! I ordered it in 18 inches because I didn't want it to be too tight on my neck, but after trying it it, I think I could have also gone as short as 16 inches. I'm loving this delicate gold necklace. I've always felt resistant to gold necklaces, but I love how rich they look!

Dressing up for Halloween?

The first and last time I ever dressed up for Halloween was when I was in grade 6 and when I was 24. If you must know, I was a witch, and Hermione from Harry Potter, respectfully. This year, since I'll be hanging out with group of people and they'll all come dressed up, I need to think of an idea- quick.

Currently I'm really digging this idea: 1920s Flapper

Colour this fall

(Via this pinterest)

I love love the colour of this jacket + hair style + lip colour + bag + and shoes. Also, the golden buttons and salmon coloured lining peeking out of the sleeves are so pretty!

Hard work and luck

Fortune's Wheel, painting by Melody Phaneuf

Do you believe in Luck?

I believe that hard work is important in order to be successful (however one wants to define it) in life, but I can't help but think that little bit of luck goes a long way. I always felt that I was unlucky, and felt that this one particular friend was always lucky: with jobs, higher education, and love. But to think like this would undermine her hard efforts. I'm sure she wasn't just handed the opportunity, but … part of me nags and wonder… how lucky can one girl get?

To put one's fate into a fortune one can't control would be foolish, and simply not taking responsibilities for one's decisions and hard work, and an easy scapegoat if things don't go well.

So hard work will take you where you want to be, but little luck can't hurt either.

Things are starting to look sunny for me. Today I had an interview for a Visual Arts teaching position, and I have another interview lined up on November 1st for English supply teaching! After five months of agonizing stress and torture of waiting, I'm finally getting interviews! Let's hope that my hard work and little bit of luck will allow me to do what I love: teach.

P.S. I finally figured out why my profile information has been showing at the bottom of my page! It's because I didn't close my div tag when I inserted images onto my blog! I'm so glad I finally figured it out! I was so close to closing this blog all together out of sheer frustration!

My friend's dog: Roscoe

Roscoe is so adorable. I love my friend's dog so much more because he has an underbite! How loveable is that?

P.S. Can you see my info on the right side bar? It appears at the bottom of my blog. Does anyone know why? I reset my blog to default hoping it would fix it, but no avail.

Little Red Ridinghood

Quick drawing with Wacom tablet. Drawing on 27" iMac is FUN!

Macbook Pro -> iMac

Yesterday my MBP screen got messed up for the second time (vertical stripes all across the screen)and the Genius at the Apple store told me I'd have to get it replaced, which would cost me $549 + tax ($600+). I thought about many options: 1) buy a new monitor and use my laptop via split-screen, 2) Buy a netbook (the thought of getting a PC just made me feel sick), 3) Get it fixed. My MBP is only 3.5 years old, and I thought it would last me another two years, but I realized that once problems starts arising, more and more issues will surface.

So… I ended up buying a 27" iMac. The transition from 15" screen to 27" screen is something to get used to, but I love working with all this space (I can multitask easily, create digital art with ease). And here is the BIGGEST perk-- My internet signal is 100% better. Before I nearly received 0% signal in my room. Yay!

Paying for this and my car insurance in the coming months is sure going to be fun. >.<

Happy Thanksgiving!

I think this is the best turkey that we've ever made. For one thing, it came out of the pan in one piece, the secret is using two forks and inserting each one into both ends of the turkey. The golden colour was just perfect, and the inside was just moist enough!

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Reading nook

(Via This Pinterest)

Fall!

(Via This Pinterest)

I think winter just skipped over fall: I've already whipped out my winter jacket. As winter nears, I always regret not doing something more with my summer. It's really unfortunate that summer is so short here, while winter is like five months long (too long)! So as the weather gets colder and drier, that means I need to switch my skin care routine as well. I've been out on my L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Cream (here), so I may go out and get some more. My brother is also a fan of this cream because he has dry skin, whereas I have dry-combination skin.

What are you doing to prepare for winter? The thought of winter makes me shudder already. If I can't beat it, might as well enjoy it, right? I'm thinking of a short winter vacation - snowboarding anyone?

Samsung Galaxy Note

I was never really into Samsung Galaxy phone, but I'm now interested because of this new upcoming phone. I may switch my allegiance if iPhone 5 doesn't wow me.

Bora Bora

(Via)

One of my dream travel places :)
Do you have a dream travel place?

I must be the busiest unemployed person

My September

Really, my current unemployed status is not to be laughed at. I feel so busy with with all the tutoring jobs I've been getting. I lost count of my students, yes, that's how you know you're busy, when you can't count how many students you have. I got into tutoring mainly to make side money while attending school, but now it has somewhat become a full time job. I don't take tutoring lightly, I work hard to help my students achieve success, but I still do wish for a full time teaching job.

Have you ever felt so beaten because submitting résumé after résumé has become monotonous? I vary my cover letters, wondering what the principals are looking for... but I can never seem to "hit the spot".

At least I'm tutoring in a field where I'm interested in pursuing. I love seeing my student's work! The art work above is done by my student when he was in grade 1. I love working with kids and helping them unleash creativity. I find that the more I work with them, I'm getter better at letting students "make mistakes" as they learn. Part of me wants to micro-manage everything, but I realized that that won't help the students in the near future. I love how this art work is so playful, colourful... and it says "how awesome it is to be a kid!"

MIA

I couldn't blog for a while, nor do anything for the last few days because of a terrible back pain (lower oblique).

Remember how I was working out like crazy? Well, my body seemed to have been shocked by my dedication - it decided to give me spasms. I was suffering from sudden muscle spasms that occurred every 3 seconds, believe me, it's deathly painful. Though I must say my abs got quite the workout from all the oblique spasms. I feel a lot better now, but I still can't breathe deep or laugh out loud without my muscles acting up.

Note to self: Give yourself good 5 minutes to stretch before and after a workout.

Workout

(Via)

This is the nicest looking treadmill. It almost looks like a piece of furniture or sculpture. For the last 4 days I've been running and swimming. At first I was taking it in moderation, but now I can successfully run for 20 minutes at 4.6 miles/hour and swim afterwards easily without running out of breath.

Ariah Rose love...<3

My friend and I went to take pictures of her cousin's baby, Ariah Rose, and she's just too cute for words! I love all her funny expressions and smiley eyes! I especially love how the first photograph looks like something that came out of the magazine spread/advertisement! I love taking pictures of babies because they've got perfect skin and they're so candid!

Blue tipped nail

Something lil more refreshing than the original white.

Cirque du Soleil

The other day our family, minus the brother, went to watch Cirque du Soleil perform. The show was pretty good, though I feel like there were too many comic relief fillers. But I have the highest regard for all the performers for putting on a really good show for everyone. As I grow older, I appreciate spending more time with my family and doing things together, which I would have dreaded if I were younger.

My sister is finally growing taller than me! Wow... I remember the day when she was born she fit into my arms.

My dad wanted to pose like the performer (above pic background), like a crane, but my sister was so embarrassed that my dad settled for this pose:

I can't believe it's September already! Enjoy your long weekend if you have Monday off!

Delicate gold necklace

(Designed by burnish at Etsy)

(Designed by burnish at Etsy)

(Designed by BeauAndStella at Etsy)

(Designed by BeauAndStella at Etsy)

I prefer the gold

(Designed by BeauAndStella at Etsy)

I would wear this shorter!

Lately I've been into delicate gold necklaces. These are so pretty!

This makes me happy: French manicures

When I paint my own nails and it comes out nice, that makes me happy. I'm now able to do the french manicure without the aid of a tape. I remember when I'd paint my nails as a teenager, it'd always come out so ugly. It's true that with age we improve on our skills. I appreciate the French-manicure look because it always look so clean!

New car + haircut!

It was really a spur-of-the-moment kind of cut. I didn't intend of getting a haircut today, but I thought "why not?" Back of my head is really short and I feel somewhat naked. But I love how short hair feels - so freeing!!

Been riding 2011 Hyundai Elantra GL for over a week now, and I'm pretty pleased, aside from couple of thing: Hyundai dealer tinted my windows, but there are some tiny air bubbles. Should I complain and get it redone? Or is that something I have to accept as being part of the process of tinting a window? I'm going to call my sales agent and see what he can do about it.

Studio interior design DIY

(from ishandchi)

I love the way ishandchi designed her basement studio! I'm so inspired!

My own studio looks very bare:

I decided not to use the dining room section of it and let my tenants use it. I can just put a divider between the rooms for privacy. So my actual studio space will be this half:

Illustration journal

I will probably need to get into the habit of drawing everyday before I can say that I will start an illustration journal. I found this doodle that I worked on couple of months ago, after experiencing a torrential rain and showing up at my tutoring place soaking wet... I wish I could spend more time drawing the background, too.

Glasses <3

(source)

I always wanted to pull off a perfect red lipstick look

Finding that perfect pair of glasses is really challenging. You have to consider your own face shape, size, and personal style. I need to get a new glasses, so I went to the optometrist today and found out that I have astigmatism. Booo... but luckily I'm still able to wear contact lenses! Yay!


(source)

Something about a man with glasses... <3