Sentimental Mondays

If there was ever doubt about my origins, here is my grandma picking me up from the Mars exhibit.
I love how you're never allowed to touch the grass in Hong Kong.

The Dream in Reverse

Hello Weekend

Let's get to work
Here's the finished project:Crack it open!

It's all in the DETAILS

I came across this site looking up Improv Everywhere, which made me think of Open House New York, and then I was back at the Charlie Todd site.
I don't feel bad because I'm so glad I finally landed with such a great find!

If you get a little giddy about

• historical anecdotes
  
• secret gems in a big city
  
• details, details, DETAILS(!)
  

you will like this one. hehehe Enjoy!

Scouting NY

Distracted

The frigid weather has put a deep freeze on my brain. **Really? That's the best you could come up with?**
Sorry I honestly want to post up some holiday photos or even wrap up the Prince Edward County entry (I'm not writing about the travels again!) but I can't muster enough focus / energy / inspiration to justify an entry.

Just be distracted here for a bit.
I'll be back!

Preloved

I love going to second hand stores. It's like going to a museum but you can actually bring some of the goodies home.

A lot of the clothes are no longer in style or in good condition, but it's fun to just see the fabric, embroidery, beading or other details that make up a beautiful piece. My favourite items are the home-made sweaters, especially the kids ones. It makes me smile to see love displayed in a knitted form.

I also love the frames/art section. You can really see the craftsmanship in some of the older frames. The ones that come apart with screws and have brackets across the back. It's sad to find a personalized cross-stitch or hand written note left on these unwanted items. Still, something draws me to read those messages.

Today's find: two scarves. Don't know what I'll do with them but the print was interesting. I bought a shirt last year because of the print and I finally made a card today, inspired by the simple shapes but colourful design. As I write this, I'm waiting for the laundry. Pre-washing the fabrics I bought from the last visit. $3.99 for 5 yards of polka dot happiness.

Homemade Christmas Cards

I knew I wouldn't have time to make my own cards, so back in November/early December I went looking for the perfect Christmas cards. At the specialty paper store I saw this beautifully printed card with an Asian inspired design with the words Hope, Faith and Love on the cover, but when I opened it it had some Confucius saying inside. I'm sure Confucius would've found it stupid to see his philosophy inside a Christmas card. I was sorely disappointed and continued to drive K crazy by insisting on finding that perfect card. Found them at Homesense btw.

I was wrong and ended up making Christmas cards anyway (go ahead, I'd laugh too). Our small group at church has a homemade gift exchange tradition. I designed this and made a dozen for Josh because he mentioned that he has a lot of newly immigrated Chinese co-workers.

The front reads "Faith, Hope, Love" in Chinese. The back reads "The Bible - Corinthians Chapter 13".

The pattern occurs in the last verse of this challenging chapter.

If I speak in human or angelic tongues,but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.