Etsy Summer Facebook Hop

Etsy Digital Designers Team is having a Facebook hop with wonderful freebies now. A total of 35 talented designers joined this hop. Start hopping here to collect the goodies! :)

And I'm sorry that I've neglected this blog again (since end of January!). Apparently handling three kids and Etsy shop is more than enough for me at the moment, especially after my littlest miss started running around and climbing things. :)

be here. now.

Being present in the moment is a constant challenge for me. With all the busyness of mothering and thinking about the shop and being a wife, daughter, sister, etc. it is quite difficult for me to just be present and immersing myself in the present.

But when I get myself to do just that, I find that everything else diminished and I usually just feel immense gratitude of being alive and doing whatever I am doing at that moment.

As usual, the printable file can be downloaded from here. Please do a right-click and save-as. :)

have good thoughts

The third sunday (I tried to upload this every Sunday), printable can be downloaded here (right click, save as). Enjoy. :)

cloud atlas

I've just finished watching the movie Cloud Atlas, and I am truly impressed with the brilliance of the story. I'm still reading the book.

And I like this snippet from wikipedia:

Ewing writes that history is not governed by rules, but outcomes. And outcomes are precipitated by vicious and virtuous acts. And those acts are precipitated by belief. If we believe in the Ladder of Civilization, that's what we will get. But someday a purely predatory world will consume itself. Devil take the hindmost until the hindmost is the foremost. Selfishness in a species leads to extinction. He imagines his father's response to becoming an Abolitionist, he would warn Adam that his life would amount to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. "Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops," is Adam's proposed reply.

Sometimes I do feel that my life is just a little drop in a limitless ocean. This is a good reminder indeed. :)

start with the end in mind

Start with the end in mind. :) The printable poster can be downloaded from here, please do a right-click and save-as.

follow your joy

A lot of us are confused in searching for a path to walk on in this earthly adventure. There were just too much directions (from people around us) to follow. They will suggest that this path have the best view, that one will give you the most money, the other one will make you famous, or don't follow that road, you'll be poor and hungry. And being an inexperience wanderer, we got confused.

So far, I found out that the best advice is simply: follow your joy.

Do what you love. Find the activity that gives you joy. That great delight and pleasure that comes from doing what you do will be the fuel that propel you forward to the path that gives you more joy. It will be your source of strength too in facing each challenge that you find along the way. Follow your bliss, follow your joy, follow your heart, find your own path, and you will have a healthy dose of daily joy along the way.

Download the free 8 x 10 inches printable here (please do a right click and save as).

lessons from laura ingalls wilder

I read The Little House in a Big Wood long ago, I think before I was 12, but the story stuck. The way Laura described her daily living, the activities and all, captured me. I read the whole series in the last weeks of 2012 and I enjoyed the book very much.

I did a little googling this time to see her photos and to read more about her and found a letter from Laura on this website.

I love the way she ended her letter. This is the last paragraph:

The “Little House” books are stories of long ago. Today our way of living and our schools are much different; so many things have made living and learning easier. But the real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong. Great improvements in living have been made because every American has always been free to pursue his happiness, and so long as Americans are free they will continue to make our country ever more wonderful.

With love to you all and best wishes for your happiness,
I am Sincerely your friend,

Laura Ingalls Wilder
---

I love especially this part:
But the real things haven't changed.
It is still best to be honest and truthful;
to make the most of what we have;
to be happy with the simple pleasures
and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.
And I think that would be what I strive to do this year.

another new year

Another year is here.

2012 have passed in a wonderful busy way filled with a lot of blessings. I had another baby in October 2011, so last year was spent watching her grow from a tiny wee baby into a super cheeky active toddler along with her headstrong sister and her loving brother. My sister got married in February and moved to another town in another island. My firstborn graduated from his kindergarten (and turned 6) in June and started his primary/elementary schooling in July. He lost his first baby tooth around that time too. It was another (terrifying) first experience for all of us, well, especially for me. It was scary realizing that your first baby is growing up so fast.

Anyway, we ended the year by going with our big families (also need separate entry due to the wonderfulness of the trips). I was in Lembang, Bandung for new year, and I spent the first minutes of 2013 standing with my dear husband watching the most spectacular fireworks from our room porch in the villa.

Etsy wise, I started using Crafthub (for sending download link automatically after a purchase) in August, and I'm loving it. Such a lifesaver for a busy mom. I have lots of new wonderful customers and I am really thankful for the experience of working and interacting with them. I'm still working late nights (like now). I tried to wake up earlier, but I tend to overslept.

My husband started to cook for us (since the arrival of our third child) to give me time designing. I am truly grateful for his wonderful support. At one time, he brought all three kids (6yo, almost 4yo, and 1yo) to a nearby mall to give me sometime to work. Without him, I won't be able to continue with the shop. Oh, and to add the blessings, he turned out to be a better cook than I am. My son was especially thankful for this change of family cook. :)

This year, I want to preserve more joys by writings/documenting this adventure of living on this beautiful planet.

It's late and I have to sleep now. Let me end by wishing you joy and courage to achieve your dreams for this year. :)

boom boom boom

You are a firework
Come on, let your colors burst

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Part of "Firework", lyric by Katy Perry
from here.