pillow restoration (part 1)

i have this little pillow which i've been using since i was a baby. my grandma had sewn it for me. i don't use it to lay my head on. instead, i hold it in my arms every night when i go to sleep. the pillow has become my must-have item, my sleep aid, or my version of the "security blanket", whatever you want to name it. i have trouble falling asleep if it's not with me... seriously. i would say this pillow would be one of the things i'd bring with me if i was left on a deserted island.

well, it has been years that i've used it. every time i switch out the pillow case, i'm sad to see the torn corners and fringes. i've been holding it together with safety pins... poor thing!

i thought of replacing it with a new one, but i know it just won't be the same. it's just not going to have the same "feel". so instead of replace, i decide to restore. i turn to my super cook aunt, who is also a super seamstress! (remember? she used to teach home economics)

in just 5 minutes, she carefully ripped the fringes apart and sewed them back together. voila, my precious pillow looking new and gorgeous!

this is only the first part of my pillow restoration project. next is to get it new pillow cases. :)

no more ragu!

i used to be very lazy about cooking, like using a lot of cake mixes and pre-made sauces to make life easier. but ever since i started taking lessons from my super cook aunt, i saw the real results of making from scratch. things do taste better.

the other day, she taught me how to make hk style spaghetti in bolognese sauce (肉醬意粉). starting with butter, then flour, chicken stock, tomato paste, and finally veggies and minced beef... it's not as difficult as i thought!

does that mean i won't be using ragu sauces anymore? um, well, not really... i'm still a lazy person after all and will need to cheat once in a while!

bitten by the etsy bug

notice my new site header and colors? i was recently introduced to Etsy and was totally inspired to create a unique header for myself.

so what is Etsy? according to the website, "Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade". (they say the origin of the word Etsy is still a mystery...) launched in 2005, they now have over 100,000 sellers from around the world. they are a truly unique and creative site which you can find almost anything you can think of. i found out about Etsy because my friend, safarisister, recently opened shop for her one-of-a-kind, handmade jewelry. at first, i thought it's just a domain name for her to host her online shop. well, i'm completely amazed after browsing through other sellers' pages!

there are so many products available for purchase, or simply to be admired and inspired. imagine you're on ebay, but with things that come from highly creative and talented individuals. it's truly a wonderful place for all creative minds to meet. too bad i'm not one of them. i definitely LOVE LOVE LOVE to browse around though!

these are on my favorites list (so far):
alyssa ettinger designs
ball and chain jewelry
foundling accessories
karaku japanese fabric
quiltification fabric things
timothy adam designs
and of course... safarisister jewelry

after much difficulty choosing from safarisister's collection (because i wanted everything!), i finally picked a winner and made my first ever Etsy purchase. y e a h !

if you're a girl who needs a little something for yourself, or if you're a guy who's searching for a perfect jewelry piece for your girl (my wise advice: all guys do), don't forget to check out her collection!

spring flowers

to some people, this time of year is miserable. they can be sneezing all day long.

to those who do not have this problem (that's me!), it's a lovely time to enjoy the spring colors~

flea market

the last time i went to the de anza flea market was probably 4... maybe 5 years ago. although i live so close by (i can walk there in 10 minutes), i never took another trip to the flea market until this weekend.



the flea market started early in the day but i decided to go after lunch and avoid the crowd. about half of the stalls were selling clothing items like t-shirts, hats, and hand bags. others were selling old music records and vhs movies. but the stalls that attracted me the most were the ones that had vintage household items and kitchenware.



you never know what you can find in these piles. i personally am not a collector of vintage pieces, but i'm surprised that people still keep these with them, and once you see them you'll be brought back to the past. these are a few of the items that particular caught my attention.

a rotary phone, antique watches and jewelery, a wooden high chair, a bird cage clock, and a set of vintage suitcases.


many vendors also come to the flea market hoping that someone would appreciate their work and take them home. some are knitting experts, others paint beautiful canvas. but my favorite is a vendor who makes amazing bird feeders.

aren't these too cute to be bird feeders?!


after sifting through the different stalls and vintage pieces...


my bargain of the day is this set of 4 dessert glasses for $5!

cakes and cookies, then pilates

i did it again...

after making 3 cakes in 7 days, i couldn't resist and baked some cookies last night...
i haven't counted the calorie intake so far, but trust me, i know it's HIGH!!

to make myself feel better, pilates has been my workout routine. it really helps with burning some calories (i hope) and training the flexibility of the body. here's what part of my routine is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmek7iASeCI

attendance has been low for the past 2 lessons, with only the instructor, another lady and myself. but today, i got lucky -- i was the only one who showed up and got a one-on-one lesson with the instructor! 60 minutes well spent!

anyway, hope i burnt these off within those 60 minutes...


packed up some calories for my friends :)