Hello, Monday!

{shout-out cookie via girls scouts}
{hand via me}

One of my pals, gave me a box of shout-outs. They are little carmilized girls scout cookies. Yummy cookies and a super sweet message on each one.

Besides eating too many cookies(see above),

I had a great weekend

making curry,

laughing with some new friends,

going on a sweet walk with an old friend,

sharing some tiramisu,

checking out the new store in my neighborhood,

listening to this album,

reading this book,

and being inspired this and this and this,

 resting my body in some heart-opening poses for bit,

And resting my ankle on a super sweet handmade lavender and flax seed compress. I seemed to have twisted it sometime this weekend.

For some reason, I am super pumped for this week. Not sure why, but I'm not questioning it. I'll just let the good times roll...

How's life in your neck of the woods?

Love{a musing}

Image via Wikipedia

Hi lovelies,

i hope you are dancing with love in wide or narrow spaces. 

wherever we are is a chance to touch it, roll in it and pass it along. i confess have been such a cynic on the subject.

i am glad to have been shaken up by this post by bonda84 .

i am glad my heart is challegning a dismal outlook on love.

every season, every day overflows with love. i wanna swim in it.

Love{a musing}

i believe in love.
i really do.
i believe in friendly love,
enduring love,
romantic love.

the thought of love ignites my heart
the practice of love opens my soul
it's a place I want to live.

i could roll in love all day.
at night, I would take it to bed.
in the morning, I would make
it breakfast.

i have no illusions about relationships.
they can be hard.
lord knows, my heart has been
thrown to the floor a few times.

still i believe that love
is under my skin.
kissing me into life

love is here
rubbing the hands of friends,
laughing at the jokes of strangers
lighting hearts on the sidewalk.

everyday, i will take it into the world.
everyday, i will give it wide-open arms
to frolic beyond.



peace,

k

My Review: The Eight Week of the Year

Oh, sweet week. 

Thank you for being so perfectly imperfect.

For taking me by the hand,

For walks in the rain,

For long leisurely phone calls,

coffee shop talks, car concerts and 

all those little things that mix together

to create my footprint on this life.

The truth is I am at a strange juncture in my life.

One where I feel the momentum of 

the future but still see the shore

of the past. All my steps making

moments feels intimidating.

I can literally feel life lifting me up.

The challenge is to leap but to come back

to myself softly.

photo top-album "the way we were" 

Sparkle Eyes: Recovering a Sense of Adventure

Image by Powerhouse Museum Collection via Flickr

It's promising to be a busy week.
I have quite a few things due for school
and a trip to Bloomington to anticipate.
So, I will dabbling on here a less than usual.

I am really thinking about adventure these days. Mainly how adventure is a state of mind more than anything. It is not really about going anywhere(although, that does not hurt)

but more about being incline to put on your sparkle eyes and grab the world.

Think about the places you visit. Typically, people live there and go to the market and
the dentist. However, when you get there it feel new and fun because you are seeing it with different eyes. So, maybe that is what we should bring to our ordinary life. Different eyes.

Image via Wikipedia

So, maybe I am fun and adventurous already.Maybe, it's a natural inclination of mine{and yours}. Not, that a little more would hurt. Maybe, we are lighted torches on the path and we don't even know it. Maybe, what we think is ordinary living is really extraordinarily to someone. Is is possible to be singing a new song and not even know it?
Image by kharied via Flickr

Thus, I am becoming more and more convinced that the things we seek are already in us if we
are willing to pay attention. We are already equipped with
awesomeness. All we need to do is pull it on.


Have a sweet and lovely week.

keishua


Picture Credits:1,2, 3

My Review: The Seventh Week of The Year

I am slowly learning that adventure keeps the heart young.
It helps me keep my eyes wide and my heart open.

With only the promise of the reviving my senses,
I pull on your favorite shoes, grab a bag and hit the door.
Skipping into the sunshine.


Have a sweet weekend full of lovely adventures.

peace,
k

Bedside Interview: Carmella

Today, we have a guest post from the lovely Carmella of  a tree called life.  I think what I most enjoy about Carmella is her enthusiasm for life and her honesty.They{enthusiasm and honesty} are part of what makes her blog so enduring, inspiring and refreshing. So, I am thrilled to share Carmella with you all. Let's take a peek into her world...

Who are you?

i'm having trouble answering this question!  :)  i feel like people want to who what you do and all of that, but i just don't know.  i'm at a strange place in my life, a place where i just don't know.  i'm not sure what i want to do or where i'm going to be.  i'm just trying to live everyday, with out attachment to plans or ideas -  trusting that life with unfold for the best.  it's a new and scary adventure, all of this plan-less day to day, but it feels right.

What nurtures/inspires you?

being in nature.  nothing brings peace quite like being out in nature.  the amount of "aliveness" a person can feel sitting under a tree, feeling the sun and wind in their face is unparalleled. i believe that god is in everything, everywhere, but is so much easier to feel and understand in nature - at least for me :)

What's your favorite part of your night routine?

i always take at least 20 minutes before bed to sit down and breathe.  i often do little meditations throughout the day, but sitting down with my Self at the end of the day is one of my favorite things.  usually i'll read from one of these books, (lately a lot from the upanishads) sip on some tea and do a little writing.

What's on your nightstand?

my nightstand is pretty simple.  vintage copies of lord of the rings, to give height to my lamp, a salt tea light holder, plants, journal and extra pad of paper for random to-do lists and a set of spiritual books. (and tea, of course!) there are also some old issues of yoga journal, photo albums an my lazy knitting projects underneath.

Why did you choose that particular nightstand?

the main reason i chose this stand was because it was 20 bucks at goodwill!  and i liked how the hardware gave it an old, almost medieval feel.

P.S. For more information on Carmella, please visit her here.


Peace,
k

Make: Happy Bag

Make: Happy Bag by lekegooglover featuring a cashmere shawl

I was recently reading an article that referenced a happy bag(essence, whole living??). Basically, this bag would be your go to bag for cheer. The writer suggested you treat it like a first-aid kit for happy.
Who doesn't need a little emotional TLC now and again.

Here's what I would put in mine-books, candles, lotion, pictures, notebooks, music, etc. I think my bag will include things that make me feel pampered but allow me to connect to my spirit or the memory of others.
What would you put in your HAPPY BAG?

Saturday and On the Mat

Image via WikipediaAfter a long yoga siesta,
I have started to roll out my mat again.
This makes me happy, to say the least.
My current favorite pose is child's pose.

Many people use it as resting pose between more challenging poses
but I use it as a stand alone pose, often.
It's such a loving pose to practice. Child's pose
is great for helping gentle stretch your body. I have found it particularly helpful for my neck.
By the way, it is super relaxing, too.

I like to do this pose with my wide knees 
and my hands extended over head a trick
I learned from a Cyndi Lee video. I often wind up
staying in this pose about 5 minutes.
On a really stressful day, maybe more.

In my mind, this pose is the perfect
way to bring a bit of relaxing energy
into your weekend. If you yoga
do you have a current favorite pose?

{For basic child pose info look here.}
{For wide knees pose info try this.}

Hope your Saturday is awesome,
k



image via Wikipedia

My Review: The Sixth Week of The Year

 I once heard be careful what you ask because you just might get it.
 I feel like I asked for a lot of change and that is what I am getting.
Some of it is good and inspiring.
Other times,  I have felt like a mermaid getting her land legs.
Completely disoriented and grasping.

So, here's to diving into life

Wobbly legs and all.

On the other side of falling

is soaring.

Have a sweet weekend.

Bedside Interview: Boya

Today, we have an guest post from Boya from super inspiring blog b-spLendid. I love the spirit of happiness that Boya creates on her blog. I really appreciate how she strives to cultivate positivity through the words and images she shares with readers. So, I am really happy to get to know her and share this wonderful person with you all. Let's take a peek into her world...

Who are you? 


I am a 29 year old girl from Indonesia, running a family business on pharmaceutical products.What nurtures/inspires you? Life in general inspires me, because we're living..and living only is not enough..we must be able to fill our life with all those wonderful things that life can offer..

What's your favorite part of your night routine?


Besides sleeping (haha), my fave part of my night routine is making sure that my room is neat and clean because I like to sleep when my room is neat. My mom and sister often find it very annoying but I don't care =p The other thing is when I am about ready to go to bed and reading a book just for half an hour.

Why did you choose that particular nightstand?


I loooove photo frames, every corner of my room has photo frames and the nightstand included of course. The table lamp is just for emergency, I don't really use it that often, there'll always be books (more than 2) - the books I'm currently reading. Bottled water is a must, so I won't have to go to the kitchen when I'm thirsty in the middle of the night. And for the teddy bear, it's a gift from my mom when she went to Singapore, it's blue and matches my room color.


What's on your mind these days?


I've been thinking lately that I believe that we have our own road that God has chose for us but on the other hand, it's us ourselves that can really make the path worth while. I do believe that we can't take things for granted and we always have to be grateful. Just keep a positive vibe and thought...eventually all the good things you've will go back to you =)


For more on Boya, see her blog or her tumblr . Both are oozing with inspiration and beauty.

P.S. Her dream beside is below.

Thanks for reading,
k


photos:1 and 2 via boya
photo: 3 via

Thank You

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful birthday wishes. I really appreciated them more than you can know. I had a wonderful birthday. Lots of snow, cake and good times. I am grateful beyond words.

Peace and love,
k

Annoucements

Image via WikipediaDoes that word take you back to the 5th grade sitting at your desk listening to the loud speaker?!
Just thought I'd ask....
I have a few.

First today is my birthday!! Yep, I'm 27 years young!! All I want for my b-day is for you to say something nice to someone that you love. Love unshared is the pits. So, share your love!

Second, I have a new series that I will be doing on my blog called Bedside. In this series we will be hanging out beside with a few wonderful bloggers. There we will be looking at a)what they have beside their beds and b) finding out who they are and c)what makes them so awesome. It's the ultimate snoop fest. That will begin on the 10th and I hope that it will be a regular feature on this blog.

Lastly, I have done a little life list. Check it out here and let me know what you think.

P.S. Also, it was recently two of my friends birthdays L and J. Yeah for Aquarius girls.

My Review: The Fifth Week of the Year

Things fall apart

but things fall together, too.

One day at time.

One letter,

One nap,

One step.

Together it all creates

a life.

Happy List

I will confess I feel guilty about making more than one post on blogger per day. However, I can make 20 on tumbler and have no qualms. Isn't that interesting? However, that is neither here nor there. I am using this as sort of my joy/life/journal these days and I am going to with the flow. So, we will see what happens.

I am addicted to lists. If you have read this blog for anytime. You know I can make a list our of anything! Thought I would make one that focused on the some happy things from the week.

Happy List

-Making popcorn on the stove. So retro! Reminds of the 90s.

-Collaging. I love to be let loose with some scissors and glossy paper.

-Sorta organizing my {other}books.{Other} books are books I don't really read but I am reluctant to get rid of... I re-purposed a chair as a book case. Can you tell?

-Stumbling upon old poems. This use to be a favorite of mine. An old roommate wrote it out for me. I am really loving poetry these days and I was a wanna be poet back in the day so this touched my heart.

-Developing a new series for my blog. I think you will totally love it. Stay tuned Monday for my announcement!

-Journaling because sometimes you need to write you heart out.

-This album on repeat.

-Some encouragement from my professor. Don't you just love teachers!

-A heart to heart with B. I needed that so much

-Oh and phone calls, emails and general love don't hurt either.


What's making you happy?

Wishcasting Wednesday

Today is wishcasting wednesday over at Jamie Riddle Studios. The question, " What burden do you wish to put down?"

My answer: The burden of having to tie up everything neatly.
My zest for closure and hemmed life edges is exhausting at times.

I want to relieve myself of having to make everything smooth and tidy.
I want lay down the burden of trying to have a picture perfection life
and just live life.

This is a scary proposition because it means grappling with uncertainty.
It means letting things be messy and unsettled. It seems like a leap of of faith.
It is but my quest for making it right is a joy sucker.

So, I am hoping my heart has wings.
That it can carry me through the waves.
That I can trust in my core that
I am enough. My edges(and insides) may be frayed and
unsettled but my purpose is always before me.

peace,

P.S. DO you like my mandala? I didn't draw it but I did color it. Super fun and hard. I forgot how hard it was to stay in the line with wax.

Memories

Today, I encounter memories.
I stumble upon them while
looking for art supplies.

There nestled in the same box
with cutouts from Vogue
are cutouts of moments lived.
There are pictures, cards
and letters all swirling
between beautiful glossies.

A certain feeling comes over me
as I flip through my life.
I am not sad.
I am on the corner
between the past and the present.

Nostalgia leaves me
hungry for vapors and ghost.
If I want to hunger,
I will hunger for
what I have in my hand.

photo:postcard I found in my stash. Not sure who took it.