Hello. Mic check one two one two. Is anyone listening (reading) anymore? At this point this space feels like an empty room and I'm just talking to myself. But I guess that's better than writing half hearted entries without purpose or meaning. Thus, the long pauses and inconsistencies. I'm trying to find my footing with online journaling again and want to make sure I do it for the right reasons. The above photo was taken a few weeks ago from my bedroom window. A new apartment complex is under construction (literally nailing and hammering as I write this post) and... Continue reading

Even a simple one. When you're cooking something, you're actually investing time into creating a meal. And any form of investment to me has some form of ROI, whether it be the meal itself, or the effort put into it, or the fact that you're actually using the appliances and cookware that you own. I remember when I first moved into my apartment, I didn't cook my first meal until around the 3 month mark. Yes, crazy I know, but that's a story for another day. Anyway, I remember when I finally cooked something it was the first time I... Continue reading

Well, before summer officially ends, I should say a few words before I bid adieu. This summer's been pretty short but sweet. Had a bit of a rocky start and a few hiccups here and there, but overall a memorable one nonetheless. I had a chance to visit family in SoCal (whom I haven't seen for 5+ years) for a cousin's wedding and explored a few new spots in LA. Then crossed over to NYC (again) to eat and catch up with a life-long friend over food and evening strolls. I think what also makes this summer a milestone one... Continue reading

For some reason, February felt like such a cold, dark, and emotionally draining month for me. For being the shortest month of the year, it definitely felt the longest, and even more so with it being leap year. I swear the 29th felt like two days. But hooray! March is here and I can already feel it slipping away, especially with a jam-packed agenda. It's been almost a year of my tiny, 400-square-foot apartment life, and things have finally settled in. For the first 6-8 months, I spent my weekends purging most of my possessions. It was a slow and... Continue reading

Hello and happy 2016. I have to admit, I haven't had much inspiration, let alone time, to keep this space of mine updated on a regular basis like I did in years past. My schedule is a little more relaxed these days and I've been itching to get back into my creative groove and start sharing again, so here I am. There's been so many changes that took place in my life in 2015, but I think the recurring topic that comes up a lot in my conversations with friends as well as quiet thoughts to myself is the idea... Continue reading

Okay, I'm not even sure where to begin with this entry since I've neglected my blog for so long due to huge life changes that's happened over the last two seasons, but I just wanted to poke my head in and say hello before I blink and Autumn arrives. The short and sweet version is I've started from scratch, both personally and professionally, and have been so busy trying to balance the two that my creative endeavors for blogging and paper making have definitely taken a back seat. I hope to get back to them once things are a little... Continue reading

Every morning this past week I've woken up to sun-drenched windows casting shadows and playful light streaks that could fool any person into believing it's summer. While much (I mean all) of the east coast is experiencing ridiculous amounts of snowfall and crazy blizzard temps, Pacific Northwest peeps are baskin' in balmy high-50s to low-60s weather, leaving me wondering if we're going to skip the rest of winter all together. Although I wish to have some pretty flakes around here, I can't help but admire all the pockets of light I've been seeing. Continue reading

I made this notebook sometime last year but didn't get around to adding it to my shop until now. It's called isosceli and it's decked out in tiny, hand-cut triangles with specks of gold shimmer. A perfect notebook for everyday writing or doodling. Continue reading

The other day, over lunch, my girlfriends and I were discussing New Year's resolutions and one of my besties said she wanted to focus on taking better care of her skin. Nodding in approval, her declaration reminded me of my own battle with skin care and the time and commitment it took to finally resolve it. So today I want to share that with y'all. Please keep in mind that skin care, and beauty in general, is a personal topic and is different for everyone. You are the only person that lives in your skin and should know it best... Continue reading

I'm sitting here, the last Sunday evening of 2014, trying to find some clever or noteworthy quote to bid farewell to this year, but can't find anything to sum up what I want to say. I have to confess, 2014 hasn't been the best year. It's not terrible, and there are a few highlights (like being brace-free after 3.5 years), but overall, I feel like I took a few steps back in life and still trying to make sense of everything. There's only so much I can do to control things before I have to let the universe do its... Continue reading

According to the winter solstice, days should be brighter and longer from now on out, but it certainly doesn't look or feel that way from where I'm standing. I'm really dreading winter. Mornings are especially hard this time of year and all I want to do is linger in bed ever so slightly longer as the weekdays progress. Life is a bit up in the air for me these days. As much as I want to embrace this uncertainty, who am I kidding? I always need something to keep me grounded and lately I don't have an anchor holding me... Continue reading