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Nitori

I haven't blogged on interiors for a while and was thinking of what to write about. It was eureka before long and I could hardly wait to share this wonderful place with you.

We were entering the cold season and I was complaining of how icy cold my bedsheets were. It was making sleep unpleasant. Silly me was still sleeping on my cotton sheets. See, back in where I came from, we use cotton sheets all year long. Never did it enter my mind that one needed to switch to sheets of warmer materials. This was when my sweet Japanese friend introduced me to Nitori　ニトリ.

Nitori turned out to be much more than I expected. My eyes widened like a little girl in a candy store the moment I stepped in. My heart was pumping and endorphins were released without me exercising. Nitori carried EVERYTHING from furniture, interior furnishings to kitchen ware and bedding. Beautiful, well-designed products. I told my Japanese friend in quick breaths that we would be taking a while in there. Nitori is Japan's answer to Ikea! I strolled down almost every single aisle, never mind that they were displaying things I obviously do not need.

Needless to say, I made several subsequent visits to Nitori. And I have been sleeping on snugly warm bedsheets ever since. 

[images from Nitori]

Moolah

[click on images to enlarge]

I received this little milk carton in the mail yesterday. On top of being cute, Moolah is "Melamine Free" and requires "no refrigeration, stays on top in all economic times". In case you can't read it clearly (I apologise for the poor lighting), one side of it reads--

INGREDIENTS: 

Loose change, cash, leftover coins from overseas trips, hongbao fillings, 10% bonus

NUTRITIONAL FACTS: Per servings

M: Mint money in the new year 888kcal

O: Outperform your competition 9.8g

O: Optimise your resources 10.8g

L: Lead in the marketplace 68g

A: Advance towards your goals 10mg

H: Head for the stars 107mg

BEST USED:

During economic crisis

It's actually a marketing material by a local brand consultancy, A. S. Louken Group. Isn't it great how they pay attention to all the details on a typical milk carton and give it a twist? Creative, witty and cute!

The Magic Faraway Tree

[images from Krisatomic via Soon Lee]

Check out these treehouses nestled in the rich green woods and beside a calm river. Do they call to mind anything? They certainly do for me! And bring with them a sense of nostalgia too.

I grew up on a staple diet of Enid Blyton book. As soon as I stepped into a bookstore, I would loosen my hand from my mum’s grip and dive for the Enid Blyton book shelves. I would disappear into the fantastical world of The Enchanted Woods, Magic Faraway Tree, wonder why I neither go to a boarding school nor get to enjoy midnight feasts, and I partook in the endless adventures of the Famous Five. These books definitely added much colour and excitement to my childhood.

Aren't these old book cover designs simply lovely? Were you a little Enid Blyton fan too?

[images from The Enid Blyton Society]

Top 5 Things I would Do/Pursue

Do you look forward to weekends? I definitely do. It's the time when I can indulge in my hobbies, read, blog, get some exercise, bond with my loved ones etc.-- basically doing things I enjoy. But it's always a challenge fitting them all in into 2 short days. So some things I want to do never get done. I always find that having a day job inhibits me from doing the things I love. Other than draining me physically, it consumes my mind. I find myself thinking and worrying about work long after I've stepped out of the office. It's a sad reality because it means that the majority of my time is spent at work, doing things I love a lot lesser.

I envy and admire individuals who live their dreams and passion, pursuing them even if they are unconventional or contrary to what society perceives as "money-generating careers". Obviously, when embarking on such a path, practical concerns such as finances come into play. Afterall, one needs to eat, pay rent and it doesn't help that shopping is one of my loves. Someone once told me that as long as we are true to ourselves and chase our passion, the money will come. We don't have to worry so much about it that we never attempt to find out what our lives could be like. Imagine the possibilities!

Lately, I've been thinking about what I would do with my life if I left my day job and had time in my hands. So, I came up with my list of Top 5 things I would do/pursue:

1. Take up a visual communication/graphic design course

2. Set up an etsy shop (obviously entailing me doing craft/design work)

3. Freelance writing for magazines

4. Learn Japanese

5. Exercise everyday (jog, yoga)

What about you? What's your Top 5? Try imagining. Trust me, it's liberating.

Judging a Book by its Cover

Remember the days back in school when studying literature meant reading lots of classical works? The common perception is that classics are boring and heavy. So ingrained are these notions that I find these books repulsive even before flipping the covers open. This is reinforced by the look of the book which often screams "dullsville". I am sure many of you agree with me on that. Being aesthetic people, we are not sorry to judge a book by its cover. Much as I love reading, I was always behind time in lit class with these books and sometimes resort to reading the simplified versions as the exam dates drew near.

Oh, but times sure have changed. I spotted these lovely book covers over at Penguin Classics. Aren't they inviting? I hear their calls to enjoy the British countryside.

More beautiful English journeys here. 

[images from Penguin Classics]

Liliy bouquets

I love lilies. I love them for the elegance, simplicity and purity they exude. What better flowers to have for a bride bouquet than lilies? They look classic on their own and pretty when accented with other flowers too. These are some of my favourite liliy bouquets from Martha Stewart Weddings (which I can't resist because of its many gorgeous dreamy images). See more liliy bouquets here. Too many. Too beautiful. But what's a girl to do since she can only one wedding? What's your ideal bride bouquet or what did you have for your wedding?

[images from Martha Stewart Weddings]