A Homemaker’s Diary

While blog hopping today and see so many wonderful craft creations around the world, I found this poignant writing by Kate Swoboda. Here is the original link to her post – Love Letter To The World.

In the face of complaints, look that person in the eye and imagine what it might have been like to be raised to see only what is wrong.

In the face of selfishness, wonder what it might be like to walk the world with a feeling of lack, of depletion.

In the face of insults, consider where this person first learned that it’s okay to abuse others.

In the face of disconnection, think about what causes it, and ask if your response will widen the river between the two of you.

In the face of laziness, recognize the fear of living big dreams.

In the face of extremism or fundamentalism, see the clinging, as well as the terror-filled silence that would arise for that person if they risked letting go.

In the face of controlling behavior, understand the chaos that must have bred it.

In the face of “always needing to be right,” see how often this person was once made wrong.

In the face of arrogance or bravado, hold gently that still, small piece that says “I’m not enough.”

In the face of drama or attention-seeking, see the person who wishes so much to be seen.

In the face of accusation, imagine what it might be like to live life with suspicion.

In the face of judgement or comparisons, step into the opportunity the world has just provided you for practicing love and acceptance.

In the face of passive-aggressiveness, recognize the child that wasn’t taught a safe way to express their truth.

In the face of anger, see the pain of isolation from others.

Most importantly: In the face of ferocious hatred, believe in the possibility that there exists the potential for equally as big, intense, lovely and fiery ferocious love.

I’ve done decoupage for quite some times now but I hardly do on wood or MDF board. Reason being, it takes days to complete a piece.

However since I have tried to do crackle effect on this MDF door sign many years ago, I decided to complete it by tracing the “craft room” wording, paint the words in black acrylic paint and later dry it.

Personally I feel that decoupage is a good start for those who are not able to paint but would love to do craft and art. You can just use suitable images you can find on paper napkin, gift paper and magazine, paste it on the medium like empty tin can, crackers tin or on the back of old frying pan. The ideas are endless.

For those interested to learn the basic techniques of decoupage, you can contact me. The next class will be on 29th May 2011, Sunday for 2 hours. Details are shared in the announcement above this post.

I love gardening. It’s like a break time from the mundane daily routine especially when I am all day and night mothering my son. It surprises you, in the sense that sometimes the plants you nurture with love and care everyday suddenly blooms their best on day you least expect to see. Even when you are out of hope or not hoping at all, plants never fail to cheer up my day.

Each day I cherish the time I get to water my plants, and check whether there’s something that need my attention, like pruning some dying leaves or pull out weeds in the ceramic pot. On day that I have more time, I take the chance to fertilize them.

I guess in the bigger picture, gardening is like the relationship you have with people. You need to pay attention when the needs for nurture and care arise. You have to make time for it to work no matter how caught up with life you seem to be. Otherwise even the best rosy relationship will wither.

(Picture taken when my cattleya orchid blooms back then in February)

Ever since I have been taking part in scrapbooking and paper craft challenge, I have came across the term upcycle many times.

I’ve been wondering what is the difference between upcycling and recycling. It turns out that upcycling is taking waste and making it into something that has equal or greater use or value. Remember when we recycle plastic bottles? The output of the recycling process of such plastic, are actually downcycling it into a lesser grade plastic.

But if you manage to create something more valuable from something you would throw otherwise, then it is upcycling.

So let’s dig out our stuffs at home and see whether we can upcycle them rather than buy something new just to satisfy our craving to have nice and trendy materials in life.

Ever heard of the phrase “in the pink of health” ? Check out this link – in the pink.

I was once told by a teacher during high school not to use that phrase in our future letter to her. (I don’t know what make the phrase sound so repulsive to her, anyway) Well of course after I finished my high school, people hardly write letters to each other when they can simply email people to say hi. Gosh, how I miss getting hand written letters with great looking stamps on the envelope.

The pink rose picture above was actually taken last year. I just found it while looking for materials to be scrapbooked to be entered into monthly challenge. It’s hard to get good pictures of non-people related since most people who scrapbook usually will use pictures of their family members..huhu!

BTW, just to wish everyone reading this a great pink month of May ahead. April has not been a good month for me personally, thus I am hoping May could be a much better month for all of us.

Well, for all the mothers out there, happy mother’s day in advance. It’s 8th May, right?