Dream Wedding..

I've been a big fan of this wedding website called OnceWed. The owner of the site, Emily Newman, launched Once Wed in March 2008. Here's what it says about the site:

"Once Wed has grown into one of the top wedding resources on the Internet today. Once Wed has received critical praise in many major media outlets including – The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal & NBC.com"

On the site, you will be able to see the events pf the real wedding, the wedding project, the vendor of the wedding equipment, ideas that you can use on your wedding day, the dresses, the photos...everything. Here are some collages that I've made using some of the couple's photos from the website. Trust me, you'll find yourself digging more and more once you look up on this site and also, you will yourself daydreaming about you dream wedding...Enjoy=)

Colonial house..,

When someone asks me about my fave home design, I'd instantly say Colonial House. Oh how I love Colonial house. Among the various types of the colonial house, my most favorites types are American and Georgian colonial. What I like the most about the house is the symmetrical side of it. When you stand just in front of the house where you can actually see the whole house, it looks very symmetrical. The main door at the lower middle of the house, besides it are the windows. The design is so simple yet it can make the house so beautiful. And with the green grass, the house will be perfect. Just like the pictures I've found below, so beautful. I hope one day my dream will come true.

(image sources: custom-home-quote , photos.igougo, homeplans, historicbuildingsct, bnblist)

The Optimist Creed

One German Proverb stated that: "Promises are like the full moon, if they are not kept at once they diminish day by day" Do you think it is easier to make promises to other people or to yourself? I personally think it is easier to make promises to other people because as many people said that you yourself is your worst enemy. Sometimes it is harder to fight yourself within than fighting towards other people. I don't know why but it's a human nature I guess. It's like when you think you really want to have that nice pair of shoes but you logic mind said "no, you can't have it because 1. you don't need it and 2. it's way too expensive and 3. you will kill your toes wearing that shoes. In that case, you will make yourself a battle between your mind and your heart. But how about this promise that you can make for yourself? It's called "The Optimist Creed". Let's make a pinky promise to yourself.

The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself:

• To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
• To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
• To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
• To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
• To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
• To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
• To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
• To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
• To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
• To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

(source from here - images from imgfave.com)

Drew Barrymore & Ellen Page

Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page appear on the October 2009 cover of Marie Claire. Why were both ladies on the cover? The reason is because Ellen is Drew's co-star in the new movie Whip It!. It's a drama comedy movie about an ex-beauty pageant contestant (Ellen Page) that leaves her crowns behind after joining a roller derby team (imdb.com). No wonder, there are some pictures of them with the roller skate.

Here's what Drew said about her co-star, Ellen:

“Ellen has such a beautiful body, and I personally battled with my own body image for years. I used to tell myself, ;You can’t wear anything sleeveless or strapless.; And all of a sudden I was like, ;What if I just didn’t send such negative messages to my brain and said, wear it and enjoy it?; And now I’m more comfortable in clothes than ever.”

(source from justjared.buzznet.com & imdb.com)

Stunning design..

This amazing house is located on the outskirts of Gent, Belgium’s third-largest city. My first impression when I saw the design was "stunning". I can imagine people can really have a relaxing mind being in that house. Just like the source said, it is a perfect private sanctuary. The design was done by Wim Goes Architectuur. Just imagine yourself waking up one morning to the sound of the birds, the warm sunshine and having yourself a cup of warm coffee on the lake. It really is a house with a view.

(source from thecoolhunter)

Let's dance baby..

Oh My God..Have you seen this? A baby dance when watching Beyonce's song, All the single ladies . It's so funny. The baby looks so serious doing the dancing, I love it when the baby moves the hands and the legs, it's as if the baby is the real back up dancer of Beyonce=) Check this out..So adorable!

Today is a beautiful day..

Don't waste your time thinking that today is gonna be a bad day or you mood will not be good to go through the day. I think everyday is a wonderful day. Everyday, when you open your eyes in the morning, it is a beautiful day. At that time, God gave you another chance to spend a new day. And what else can you do other than to make it a memorable day. Here I found an article about "How To Make Today Memorable". So, let's just focusing on the present time, because yesterday has gone and tomorrow will come eventually. Life is short...enjoy it to the fullest.

How To Make Today Memorable

• Try something totally new. – Variety truly is the spice of life. You can see or do something a million times, but you can only see or do it for the first time once. As a result, first time experiences usually leave a reflective mark in our minds for the rest of our lives. So spice it up!
• Entertain yourself with real-world experiences. – Great memories are the product of interesting life experiences. So turn off the television (or the computer) and get outdoors. Interact with the world, appreciate nature, take notice of the simple pleasures life has to offer, and just watch as life unfolds in front of you.
  
  
• Work on something that’s meaningful to you. – Engage yourself in a meaningful personal project. Or pull the trigger on doing something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do. Life is short. Today is the day to take action.
• Challenge your mind and body. – Learn a new skill. Be creative. Build something from the ground up, no matter how small. Run farther than you’ve ever run before. Push yourself to the limits!
• Concentrate on less, but give it your best. – Slow down. Pay close attention to what you’re doing. Don’t waste time juggling forgettable tasks. Instead, concentrate on a few things that really matter. Engage fully in this day.
• Say “yes” to a spontaneous opportunity. – Everything in life can’t be planned. Some of the greatest opportunities will knock on your door when you least expect them to. Be flexible, be spontaneous, and just say “yes.”
  
  
• Complete an important piece of unfinished business. – Today is a perfect day to finish what you started. Few feelings are more satisfying than the one you get after an old burden has been lifted off of your shoulders.
• Document your day. – Take lots of pictures. Keep a journal. Document your day so you can review it some other day. Many moons from now, these old photos and journal entries will ignite your recollection of great memories from the past.
• Smile, be positive, and notice what’s right. – Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad. It just depends on your perspective. And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should. Either you succeed or you learn something. So stay positive, appreciate the pleasant outcomes, and learn from the rest.
• Be authentic. Be true to yourself. – Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living a good day in someone else’s shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living… you’re merely existing. And no day spent in a phony state of mere existence will ever be memorable or worthwhile.
  


• Actively assist someone in need. – In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you, something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. I promise, it will be an extremely rewarding experience. One you’ll likely remember forever.
• Share time with a good friend and experience life together. – Pink Floyd once said, “The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime.” There are few things more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you.
• Make a new friend. – People are interesting creatures, and no two people are exactly alike. So meet someone new today. Find out what makes them tick. They’ll likely open your eyes to fascinating ideas and perspectives. And you never know, they just might change your life.
• Do something fun and laugh your ass off. – Some of the most memorable moments in your life will be moments spent in laughter.
• Be present. Be here now. – I purposely left this bullet for last because it perfectly encompasses all of my previous points. – Don’t let your life slip by. Instead of dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future, just practice being and living in the ‘now.’ Remember, right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Don’t miss it.

(source from here - images via weheartit.com)

Albert Einstein's Love and Life

Who doesn't know Albert Einstein. One genius man. But who would've thought that Albert Einstein can make such wonderful thoughts on love and life. All this time I see him as the one who always had numbers, calculation and mathematics on his brain. But when you read his writing below on Love & Life, you'll change your perception on Albert Einstein. I love the writing...

Love & Life

by Albert Einstein

Sometimes in our relentless effort to find the person we love, we fail to recognize and appreciate the people who love us. We miss out on so many beautiful things simply because we allow ourselves to be enslaved by our own selfish concerns.

Go for the man/woman of deeds and not for the man/woman of words, for you will find rewarding happiness, not with the man/woman you love but with the man/woman who loves you more.
The best lovers are those capable of loving from a distance far enough to allow the person to grow but never too far to feel the love within your being.

To let go of someone doesn’t mean you have to stop loving; it only means that you allow that person to find his/her own happiness without expecting him/her to come back. Letting go is not just setting the other person free, but is also setting yourself free from all the bitterness, hatred, and anger that you keep in your heart. Do not let the bitterness take away your strength and weaken your faith, and never allow pain to dishearten you; but rather let yourself grow with wisdom in bearing it.

You may find peace in loving someone from a distance not expecting something in return. But be careful, for this can sustain life but can never give enough room for us to grow. We can all survive with just beautiful memories of the past, but real peace and happiness come only with open acceptance of what reality is today.

There comes a time in our lives when we chance upon someone so nice and beautiful and we just find ourselves so intensely attracted to that person. This feeling soon becomes a part of our everyday lives and eventually consumes our thoughts and actions. The sad part of it is when we begin to realize that this person feels nothing more for us than just a friendship. We start our desperate attempt to get noticed and be closer, but in the end our efforts are still unrewarded and we end up being sorry for ourselves. You don’t have to forget someone you love. What you need to learn is how to accept the verdict of reality without being bitter or sorry for yourself. Believe me, you would be better off giving that dedication and love to someone more deserving.

Don’t let your heart run your life, be sensible and let your mind speak for itself. Listen not only to your feelings but to reason as well.

Always remember that if you lose someone today, it means that someone better is coming tomorrow. If you lose love, that doesn’t mean you failed in love.
Cry if you have to, but make sure that tears wash away the hurt and the bitterness that the past has left with you. Let go of yesterday and love will find its way back to you. And when it does, pray that it may be the love that will stay and last a lifetime.

There are two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

There is no mistake so painful that love cannot forgive, no past so bitter that love cannot accept, and no love so little that we cannot start all over with.

(images via tumblr)

Eleven Hints for Life

What are the hints for LIFE? When I hear this question, it feels like LIFE is something that is full of rules and points that must be take. But it's not really like that. What it really means is that life consists of the way we live. The way we live can have an affect to our happiness. I'm sure that everyone wants to be happy. The hints below shows us some of the lessons of life that are worth to be pondered.

1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return.But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.


2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.
   
3. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
   
4. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
   
5. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone-but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.


6. Don't go for looks, they can deceive. Don't go for wealth,even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
   
7. Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go,be what you want to be. Because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
   
8. Always put yourself in the other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.


9. A careless word may kindle strife. A cruel word may wreck a life. A timely word may level stress. But a loving word may heal and bless.


10. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
    
11. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die,you're the one smiling and everyone around you is crying.
    
    (source from here-images via weheartit.com)

Love after Love

I'm currently reading a book called The Time Traveler's Wife. I've been wanting to read this book since a while ago but the urge came to me just after I saw the trailer of the movie. There'll be a movie based on this book. Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams will play the leading role in the movie. So, when I first open the several first page, there's a poem of Derek Walcott. To be honest, this is the first time I heard about him and his work. On the book, you'll see a poem with the title of "Love after love". It is a really nice poem. Here's the poem. I leave the judgement to you. But for me, I really love it.

Love after Love

The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat. You will love again the stranger who was your self.Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart. Take down the love letters from the bookshelf, the photographs, the desperate notes, peel your own image from the mirror. Sit. Feast on your life.

-Derek Walcott-

Your life is yours..

I found a really good article about how to own your own life. While other writers often wrote about the recipes of life, this one is different. The author said that there's no secret recipe for happiness. I agree that we must be able to choose our own path of life. It's not about right or wrong but choosing the best path that we will take. The article also explains about the ups and downs of life which are very normal. Every once in a while we will face the ups and downs of life. What does it mean? It means that we must be able to find the reason behind everything. My fave statement of the article is when the author mention about life difficulties: "You must learn to observe life’s complexities through the eyes of a child seeing everything for the first time".

Making Life Yours

- Perception -

There is no secret recipe for happiness and contentment. The individuals who move through life joyously have not necessarily been blessed with lives of abundance, love, success, and prosperity. Such people have, however, been blessed with the ability to take the circumstances they’ve been handed and make them into something great. Our individual realities are colored by perception—delight and despair come from within rather than without. Situations we regard as fortuitous please us while situations we judge inauspicious cause us no end of grief. Yet if we can look at all we have accomplished without dwelling on our perceived misfortune and make each new circumstance our own, the world as a whole becomes a brighter place. A simple shift in attitude can help us recognize and unearth the hidden potential for personal and outer world fulfillment in every event, every relationship, every duty, and every setback.

The universe is often an unpredictable and chaotic place, and the human tendency is to focus on the negative and assume the positive will care for itself. But life can be no more or no less than what you make of it. If you are working in a job you dislike, you can concentrate on the positive aspects of the position and approach your work with gusto. What can you do with this job that can turn it around so you do love it. When faced with the prospect of undertaking a task you fear, you can view it as an opportunity to discover what you are truly capable of doing. Similarly, unexpected events, when viewed as surprises, can add flavor to your existence. By choosing to love life no matter what crosses your path, you can create an atmosphere of jubilance that is wonderfully infectious. A change in perspective is all it takes to change your world, but you must be willing to adopt an optimistic, hopeful mind-set.

To make a conscious decision to be happy is not enough. You must learn to observe life’s complexities through the eyes of a child seeing everything for the first time. You must furthermore divest yourself of preconceived notions of what is good and what is bad so that you can appreciate the rich insights concealed in each stage of your life’s journey. And you must strive to discover the dual joys of wanting what you have. As you gradually shift your perspective, your existence will be imbued with happiness and contentment that will remain with you forever.

(source from dailyom.com)

VMA..

Some photos from MTV VMA 2009. What do you think about the dresses? I think it's because it's MTV that almost all the dress are not too glamorous. But I personally don't really like the dresses on that evening. Oh by the way, have you heard about the incident of Kanye West and Taylor Swift? The one where he interrupted her when she's receiving her very first award. I will say no word about it. Why don't we just check out the girls' dresses okay=)

Lauren Conrad

Taylor Swift

Katy Perry

Beyonce

(source from people.com)

Furniture set..

Look what I found just now. It's kind of a Yin and Yang outdoor/patio furniture set. A Swiss company called B-alance made the design. I like to see furniture that can be folded to save some space but on the other hand, it can also become a set of another set of furniture. Just like this set.

(source from trendir.com)

when things go wrong

Some words of courage for you who are currently in the low stage of your life..Just to tell you that whatever troubles may come, you must not quit and you must not give up. There is always light at the end of the tunnel...

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint on the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar.

So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit

It’s when things go wrong that you mustn’t quit.

(Unknown)

MilK..

Hmm..milk. I love milk. In fact, I'm the one in the family who loves milk the most. I'm sure many of you have seen the MILK advertisement, right? The one with the milk mustache. I love it. Especially the one with Heidi Klum in it. So lovely. Click here to see the add. Here are some of the photos using milk as the main theme. Such a brilliant pictures. I'm not quite sure how to describe these photo shots. What do you think? Sexy? Beautiful? Fun? Or what? My two fave pictures are the one with the purple background and the orange background..wonderful!

(source from phombo.com)

Almond butter maple cookies

Almond butter maple cookies...hmm can you smell it? I can. Even when I haven't baked it yet. I haven't baked cookies quite a while, so I guess I have to start doing it again. And this recipe that I just found is so simple. And I'm sure it will taste so good too. Care for a try?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural almond butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  
  
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
2. In a large bowl, combine natural almond butter, maple syrup, canola oil and almond extract until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, along with chopped almonds, and stir until just combined. Let sit for five minutes.
5. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, flatten to about 1/3 of an inch, score with a fork and place onto cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
7. Makes 18 cookies.
   
   
   

   (source from here)

Patterns of thinking

Look up the statement above. It says "Don't let your mind stop you from having a good time". We all know that our mind is the source that can bring up and downs of our mood, our mind affect how we behave and most importantly our mind tells us or gives us perception about how we think about what we see or feel. What if your mind says that something is bad but it turns out that it's now bad. What of your mind says that you can't do certain things but in reality you can really do that certain things. This is what happens when your mind can distract you from reaching out the things that you are able to reach. And here's one great article about the way we think. Often we think about negative thoughts. Some of our patterns of thinking can drag us to the negative impact of the direction of our life. Here are some of the destructive pattern of thinking.

8 limiting patterns of thinking

1. ‘Life is shit’ Thinking pattern –Everything in life is bad, everybody is not to be trusted and nothing good will ever happen to them e.g. “I won’t get that job, the interviewer didn’t like me, I didn’t particularly like them anyway.”
2. ‘Unsubstantiated conclusive’ Thinking pattern– You tend to make a lot of conclusions without any evidence to back up your conclusions. This can be a really destructive pattern as it can limit you in seeing reality for what it is e.g. “He walks a bit funny, he must be gay.” (I actually heard someone saying this about a colleague last week).
3. ‘Never to me’ Thinking pattern – This is when you think nothing good will ever happen to you. This can be a deep seated way of thinking and it is a deep down inability to believe you are worthy of anything good happening to you e.g. “I’ll never have money, I’ve never had it before so I’ll never have it in the future, might as well carry on with this shitty job, at least it pays the mortgage.”
   
   
4. ‘The negative psychic’ Thinking pattern – Presuming you know what people are thinking about you and it’s all bad. e.g. “She thinks I’m an idiot, I’ll try to avoid talking to her.”
5. ‘Should, would, could’ Thinking pattern – This type of person knows what they have to do to change their life, they are capable and they know it and they would do it if only……… e.g. “I know I could go to university and I would, but I’m just to busy with other things right now, I’ll apply next year.”
6. ‘Emotion based’ Thinking pattern – Your emotions control what you are thinking and therefore your vision of what reality is e.g. “I feel incapable of doing that so I must be incapable”.
7. ‘It’s all my fault’ Thinking pattern – You see yourself as being the cause of everything bad that has happened e.g. “It’s my fault he left me for another woman.” You’ll notice this type of person does not take responsibility for the good things that happen.
8. ‘They’re all wrong’ Thinking pattern – You see everyone as incapable of doing anything right and your way is the best way to do it e.g. “He can’t do it right, I’ll stay late tonight and fix it when he’s gone.”

(source by Steven Aitchison from here - images via justbesplendid.tumblr)