Photobooths are the best. No argument there. Every time I pass one, I try to convince everyone with me to do it. It doesn’t always work, but it sure does make me happy. You in?

Super cute mini white-out rollers (which I needed BADLY). I’ve been purposely writing wrong things in my planner to use them

The faintest outline of the beginning of a Chaco tanline.

Super sweet handmade mugs from faraway friends. Miss you, Aims!!

Food carts are everywhere in Portland! And if you don’t know me very well, you should know that I LOVE FOOD. Food carts are the best for sharing and exploring new foods. My favorite place is a small Lebanese cart – the owner makes his falafels from scratch and on the spot. He is so proud of this, and it definitely shows. It’s the best.

Want to explore some food carts? Check out Food Carts Portland to map out your next meal!

What are “little things?”

What is “Little Things?” 

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After experiencing a difficult event in my life (who hasn’t?), I wanted to reframe the way I live and experience life. I want to acknowledge the little things – the things that make life beautiful, and the things we take for granted. It is, after all, the little things that define your everyday life.

I genuinely love the lyrics of the song and the soft, happy music that accompanies it . When translated it just means “a little laughter, a little happiness, a little piece of the moon”. I could not let the lyrics off my mind for a month..The reason why I love the song so much is that it reminds me of those small joys of life, those little things that make us smile, that remain unnoticed by us. Those little things that make us feel that we really don’t need big reasons to feel that life is beautiful, rather all we need is happy moments with small yet great sources of happiness!

Think of those moments when you think of some good old moments and start smiling, when you are with your friends and even the simplest of conversations make you laugh out loud! For a crazy music lover like me, sometimes, even a song is more than enough to make me happy, to get me high!

First rain showers of the season..playing with a baby and watching him or her smile at you, holding your finger…finding money in pockets of an old shirt or getting free gift vouchers..receiving compliments or listening to simple words of appreciation or praise from people around you. It’s these little things that keeps my day going.

Sometimes is better to be short-sighted. Ignore the big picture and take joy in the small wonders. Enjoy the cloud cover and the rain before we look for the rainbow.

This choral song’s delightful.

Dandylion, milkweed, silky on a sunny sky
Reach out and hitch a ride and float on by
Balloons down below catching colors of the rainbow
red, blue and yellow-green: I love you.

. . . . .

I love forget-me-nots, fluffernutters, sugarpops
I’ll hug you and kiss you and love you
La, la, la… Love you.

As simple as…

cute

little

pencils

I’ve shared in the past how I’m a scribbler and habitual writer-downer. It’s part of the creative process for me. I like to make a list or draw up plans to build something. Pencils have always been my go-to instrument of choice. I attribute this to a childhood of constantly drawing with them and all those art courses I took in college. I just love the feel of a pencil over a pen. Plus, it’s erasable, and I need that feature. Especially, when brainstorming. Give me a bunch of freshly sharpened pencils tied up with a bow and I’ll swoon!

They might as well be cute, right?

I found these pencils at Michaels.

Just a heads up dear readers & bloggin’ buddies,

I will not be posting for a few days, but some major changes are happening soon that I can’t wait to share with you! You can check out the new menu bar. I’m trying to make Bliss at Home as easy to navigate as possible. I have added a full DIY tutorial menu and under the Holiday category you can find Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, & Christmas projects.  I will be back soon blogging away and sharing what I’ve been up to.

Happy Wednesday!!

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ideas

+

a cute little notebook

Ideas. They flood my mind at any given moment. It could be something I saw at a store and thought “I could totally make that” or how I’m going to set the table for a party. A paint color, a craft idea, anything goes.  I’m a list maker, a note-taker, an idea scribbler. A wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-idea-writer-downer. It’s my gift and my curse. I have pens and paper stashed all over the house. On my nightstand, in a basket on the kitchen table, in my bathroom drawer–hey, you never know when inspiration may strike. I even keep a notebook handy in my purse and one in my car…if for someone reason I don’t have my purse. With all these notebooks out I like to make sure they are at least pleasing to the eye. So, it really is as simple as just buying a cute little notebook.

Here’s a few of my latest favorites:

I can usually find some great designs at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Target. Bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Books-a-million also offer some fun varieties.

And it’s always a plus if it has an inspirational quote on it:

Are you a crazy note scribbler like me, or are you one of those gifted remember it all kind of people?

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http://www.thisthatandlife.com/2013/01/a-little-of-this-a-little-of-that-2/

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We are hitting everything from interior design trends to what shows to watch. Come on over and join the fun!

Little Things is part of our new line-up for 2013 and is a weekly that gives you inexpensive things to do to make your home a place of delight and comfort. No matter what your income level, sometimes just by adding small touches you can make your space a happier place to be.

As simple as…

hand soap + flowers

I’m pulling my girly card today! When you are the only lady of the house and your house is your work space, you need to prettify it from time to time. Whenever its gloomy out or I’m feeling a little blue I grab some cheap flowers from the grocery story and buy fancy soap.  Today with the cold of winter officially here, I needed a little pick me up. I am loving bright pops of hot pink lately.

I got a little something to use and put next to my kitchen sink. The soap and lotion smell like sweet roses and make me think of spring coming.

I love to put roses in a little teacup and carry them to whatever room I have to spend time in. Such a great way to enhance your home during the cold months. For just a couple bucks you can cheer up your day and your space.

What do you do to cheer up your space during the winter months?

So, it occurred to me – it’d be kind of fun if I gathered all my notebooks & see how much of an addict I really am. I brought them — the ones that are currently being used — all out. From the nooks & drawers of my desk alone, I found eight!

So here I had rounded them all up. The accumulation was not deliberate. Like almost all collections, I simply bought one by one… notebooks that I fancy & are not too expensive. I find all sorts of uses for them — excuses to keep them, to justify the hoarding purchase. Then hubby took notice & gifted me once in a while.

Starting from the periwinkle blue on the upper right hand, going clockwise:

1) Periwinkle – this is my one-sentence journal inspired by Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project. It’s fun especially when you come to a date & find out what you were up to exactly a year ago.

2)Smaller, lighter blue – it’s where I record short anecdotes, funny things my kids have said (kids say the funniest things!). The kids grow up right before eyes & I’d hate to forget all the amusing & hilarious things that have come out of the mouths of these babes. Wouldn’t it be fun to reread this when they’re much older?

3) Small, green – my prayer request list, tucked in my desk drawer for easy access. Sick loved ones & friends, special concerns from close family members… I will have to update this soon.

4) Orange, small – our family’s health record. I had an electronic version but found the hard copy quicker to access & bringing it to the hospital/doctor is simpler. Vaccines, lab results, weights, etc.

5) Black notebook – I started this one as a gratitude journal. It helped me through some rough times.

6) Red 2013 planner – holds my patients’ follow up/check up schedules. I like to be able to block specific days in advance, sparing my patients futile trips to the hospital.

7) Small yellow & white spiral – my auto record, a sort of “baby book” for my car. It stays in my glove compartment & holds records of oil change, tire replacement, aircon repair. Very important especially since I drive a 6-year-old, albeit, well-maintained sedan.

8) Red, small spiral – this is my absolute favorite, a constant companion. My brain dump, literally. It holds bits of information, to-do lists, ideas from lightbulb moments, must-reads, errands, etc. Amazing how helpful it is, the simple act of placing on paper the things that nag or bother me.

9) Small orange/black (with cartoon) – I bring this to teachings & recollections. Scribbles from homilies that I’ve found very helpful. For notes that are vital to my spiritual growth.

10) Journal, light brown – for my notes on books that I’ve read. Not all… mostly for those that struck a chord. A significant amount of writings here were lifted from the book Death by Suburb by David Goetz

11) Red big planner – my daily reflection/prayer book. This year, hubby & I vowed to be more faithful to our daily prayer & scripture time. (We do it separately, for now). In here I write personal reflections, small “epiphanies” during prayer, Bible passages that seem to have come at the time I needed them most.

12) Lastly, orange spiral – I used this for my notes & reflections as I read Max Lucado’s Cure for the Common Life. Very inspiring as always.

I always enjoy rereading them (except for the occasional cringe) whenever I have time.

These two below are the ones that keep me company every single day.

These three below are for specific projects or tasks. Huge reponsibilities that require months of work & preparation, therefore deserving of their own notebook. (All work-related). Note: The notebooks are give-aways from pharmaceuticals during conventions.

And these below are my “reserve” =)

I love looking at them on my shelf and have a few ideas brewing for their use. A notebook for gift ideas? For instance, I only learned last month how much my mom loves polvoron (a powdery, sweet treat/delicacy). I never knew! So maybe I can write them down as ideas for pasalubong (homecoming gifts). Even gift ideas for Christmas or upcoming birthdays so I wouldn’t have to tear my hair out with last-minute shopping! Or gift ideas for relatives who live abroad. Yup, I really should do that.

Or a notebook dedicated solely to crochet projects or WIPs. Though our Ravelry virtual noteooks do the job quite well.

If you’ve stayed with me down to this last paragraph, I thank you from the bottom my heart for your patience & tolerance. Three cheers for notebooks & notebook lovers! =)

How do you use your notebooks?

P.S. I do not own a single Moleskine. Nothing against it… I think they’re excellent products. I just couldn’t bear to buy notebooks that are that expensive. I’m afraid the cost will only leave me paralyzed, haha.

After five, gruelling coffee-less days, I finally was able to get some decaf. I craved for coffee like a pregnant woman craves for weird stuff. Hubby was very encouraging and kept me from making myself a cup (despite killer stares from me, haha). He had a point. We both didn’t want my happiness and sanity to depend on some “chemicals”. I was caffeine-free AND headache-free  since Friday (though my temper was a tad shorter).

The canister says it’s 99.7% caffeine-free. And that’s more than good enough for me. Yehey!

What can I say about One Direction? They are one of my most favourite bands. Niall Horan, the only Irish member of the group is also the only one who plays guitar. This piece was inspired by his guitar playing in the music video for “Little Things”. Using biro pen allows me to achieve not only detail, but tone, line and shape creating an atmosphere of passion in this case Niall’s passion for playing the guitar. bic biro on paper

This week’s Pinterest finds had me obsessing over ornaments for this driftwood deer head, which can be found in our shop. Follow our Dazzling Ornaments! board for links to these and more fun and fancy ornaments.