On blogging; a million years later

I have not been writing much here lately.

In my head, there is an entire list of stuff that I would like to write about..
off hand, I had a list to check off one by one...
Taiwan trip in March
Phuket trip in May
Taiwan trip in July
All that skincare/makeup/facemask that I stock up like mad all the time..
Activities with friends, new places discovered.
Pictures all stored up in my laptop and mobile phone... they are potentially stories untold.

I used to fancy writing about my life quite a bit, and yet the inertia sets in..
and I hope this is not a growing up phase that I'm progressing into... if it is, I'll really get a little sadder.

Perhaps it is precisely because I'm (trying to be) a little more grown up now, I'll chide myself into using the extra time to clear off one more box off my to-do checklist.. instead of writing, like the frivolous Daphne would used to do with her time.

Right. Lets set this straight, it's not like I'm super efficient with utilising my time now or something.
I'd say that its a lot closer to the feeling of guilt.

Guilty that I spent too much time writing about myself, my life, my whims, my fancies, like a self-centred girl (*ahem* Mind you, I still am very self-centred), instead of doing something more productive that would help with the business, or spend with the dog, or cleaning out my room...and many more..

I placed myself on a writing ban - just because productivity, Daphne.
Productivity.

Just the other night, I spent 3 hours writing an email on behalf of Trixie, just to enter the dog into a charity photo shoot contest for adopted/fostered dogs that a friend tagged me to.
When I was done with the email, I was horrified to discover how much time was spent, just writing THAT email on behalf of my pet dog.
Yet deep down, I felt a kind of Happy that I have forgotten.
The forgotten feeling on how it has felt, after a long while, and probably something that I would allow myself to do so...once in awhile.

It's roughly categorised into the kind of happy that I could immerse myself into doing, that has no intrinsic value of sorts to my life in general.

Considering the fact that, I am not paid to write nor blog about anything.
Along with my questionable grammar and language faux pas that the BF critiques on...
Nah.

I did it because I enjoyed it.
I did it because I wanted to.

The same goes to those art projects that I used to enjoy...
creating random bag, skirts, tops, accessories and all.

spending 3 hours hand hemming my dress because I found it therapeutic, instead of taking it out on the sewing machine...

Changing my nail colour and design every other week...

Fixed up a hair vine for my cousin in law's wedding photoshoot because I wanted one after watching an inspiring hair tutorial and ended up with sore fingers...
This was the mock up of my sparse hair vine just to see how it turned out.
I shall fix up the finished product and photograph it another day!

Those fleeting moments of exhilarations that truly made me happy, are activities that I (sort of ) imposed a restriction on,  just because I believed that I should use it on something else that has more worth to it.

As much as I sounded like I've become an activity Hitler on my daily life, I've also taken on simpler and less time consuming projects such as sketching, colouring, improved my photoshop skill level.
Sure, my PS skills have definitely upped many levels since I started blogging in 2007 where I relied heavily on fancy brushes to create cool picture effects to be used as my Display Picture and stuff.

I can somewhat make people a little skinner, change their posture, fix their make up (kind of), clean up the skin.. I can even "remove" braces off someone's teeth..but no one's gonna know, because I've stopped posting pictures here now, and really those are for work more than for personal consumption.

I'm still fabulous you know? Who needs photoshop?
*flicks hair*

Lol.
Turns out, I do still rely on using photoshop for all my cool couple pictures with the Bae!
We shot these separately and he picks his favourite shots, while I pick mine, and viola...
Happy lee is happy!

oh and there's all that sketches, in case anyone actually thinks that I've turn into a stale and boring Daphne..
I'm Still very much alive on instagram!
It's taken over into my "short" blog of sorts pictorially.

Here we go! Snippets of my random fashion and sketching projects for the heck of it!

Ending it off here with a picture of Trixie and I doing the #ootd.
It's also my subtle way of saying: Yo Bitches, I'm back!
Lol

Unicorn and rainbows

Oh Hello there.
It's been awhile since I've posted anything.
Posting this awesome paw some unicorn picture that I've stumbled upon earlier...

and my infinite obsession with rainbows, sprinkles, unicorns and more...

I also need this in my life!


A unicorn mobile charger.
My bag of random treasure is screaming to say hello to it as soon as I can lay my hands on it!
Note to self to find time to swing by shop to grab it soon!

#MyOhSoImportantThingsInLife

Summing up the first quarter of 2016

I noticed that this space here has been rather dead lately, and the boyfie made a passing remark about this dead space here...


I have not been much in the mood to post up here, and figured that I would eventually find time to do so (I hope), so tonight's the night where I am full of blabber..

2016 has been good this far..
with plenty of weddings within the family

March saw us through 3 weddings.
In July, there will be another 2 weddings to attend to,
December 1 wedding.

My cousins/family friends are all getting hitched in the same year!
Goodness!

Weddings aside,

 It's time for Timeline fillers, the first quarter of the year vaguely goes like this:

January 
New Year Celebration
Spent my eve with Claudia over a nice quiet dinner, as we explore the coming year with a  
mixture of work and life to come for 2016, and I met DL for a count down at Marina
Square facing the floating platform for my favourite fireworks and hotpot supper after!

I started the first hour of the year stuffing myself. Auspicious or what?

             
Chinese New year Celebration
The usual fan fare of relative visiting, since parents are both the middle kids.
This is officially our first year of visiting without daddy around.
It is funny how much difference a year on actually feels.
Nothing is quite the same, but yet life goes on.
I guess it really gets easier as time creeps on..

February 
Birthday celebrations starts!
Da started hers with a pool side celebration, and I received an early surprise party from Claudia, over at Kelvyn's place with Dilun as the accomplice on the pretext of a CNY gathering.

Unlike my social butterfly sister, I usually prefer mine to be a closed and quiet affair, so the build up events towards actual day was just plenty of dinner and stuff with close friends!

Every birthday in my recent years, I am reminded about how blessed I am to be my mommy's daughter, all the love I have been bestowed by my family, friends, and spoilt further by the boyfie.
I am indeed blessed + my smelly Trixie Wixie who loves me with all her heart.. just because she always gets food from me?
Hahahah


March
Taiwan!
Holidays are always happy days!
It was a fairly good birthday trip.
I started my first minute in Taiwan drowning my phone and camera upon disembarking the plane.
It was a disaster fishing out my wet toys out from my bag.
My heart sank like titanic, when I discover that both my toys are 1 step away from the grave.

I'll leave the actual Taiwan post for another post, when I feel like being extra hardworking about posting pictures in here.

I'd just say that I ended the trip a very happy girl.
WE bought extra luggage weight, and we were still 8kg overweight.
I reckon my 60 pieces of face mask was part of the reason...along with all the black sugar cubes that I bought as souvenir...
We were very lucky that we got away with the excess 8kg baggage.
YOLO!
---
April 
The month of YOLO
It is quite a depressing month being home bound after a 9 day vacation.
I tried to increase random new activities to feel little more motivated about life!
In it, I went for a couple of new achievements that I set out for myself..

Change my hair style ✓
I gave myself a hair cut on a whim and fancy, Chopped off half my hair's length because I needed a perk me up to feel better about my post holiday depression.
Besides it has been years, since I last changed my hairstyle.

Picked up Kizomba ✓
Attended Azlan and Mabel's weekend Kiz workshop, and in the dance frenzy process I got myself 2 pairs of new dance shoes..and I am pondering on whether I should customise the third pair... because customise is always more swag right?

Depressing as April may sound, I actually ticked off 2 of my resolution checklist this month!

I have also tried Canvas painting at Arteastiq, and the completed painting is now sitting on the wall looking a little odd in my room.

This pretty much sums up what I have been up to.

Trixie on the other hand, decided to YOLO as well.
She snuck out of the house, and went on a lift adventure alone, and got lost for approximately 15- 20 minutes?
My mother lost her, and found her before I could even reach home to organize a search party.
Thankfully for friendly and useful neighbours!

xoxo

The last and the first.

This was the last pair of dance heels that I customised before I left dancing for good.

<<  >>

It is now the "sole" survivor, that remains amongst the dance shoes, with the rest crumpled into dust.

In fact this one's semi dying as well, but it's holding decently (for now), while I shop for new ones.

Hello to the beginning.

The start of muscle aches and adrenaline rushes from too much dancing.

Before dance practise even starts,

I can hear my bones cracking already.

Hahahahahha.

Whatever happened to kizomba, and Kpop I guess I will shelve them to a proper time.

;)

Wish me luck!

Blast from the past

Cleaned up the photo album cabinet and I discovered old pictures of everyone!

I emailed daddy some of his old black and white pictures during his teenage years just for the fun of it. 

His first question to me was 

Where did you find these from?! 

And the second email to me was... Who do I resemble? 

Handsome right? 

I replied him with a gaggy face, and told him he's picked up from the dustbin, since he doesn't resemble my grandparents. 

Haha. 

This dustbin trick never grows old on me. 

Oh, I picked out random pictures from the past, and these would be at my second birthday party! Always pleased in the presence of cakes.. 

My mom obviously chose my wardrobe during my toddler days, but I'm still in love with the cropped top flutter sleeve with high waist pants and a contrast sash set outfit.

Oh and no one touch my fluffy kitty please!

I spent the later half of my childhood dragging kitty on leash around the house, like a dog, and kitty turned grey at the bottom from too much abuse. 

The mommy threw kitty into the machine for a wash, and I no longer became friends with kitty, just because kitty no longer feels the same ;(

Tangled, rough and ugly - I couldn't even find her eyes amidst the fur tangling. 

Sorry kitty! 

Next would be Le Daphne at some chalet. Back then, my parents were always full of activities. 

Company events and outings with friends, weekly Karaoke and majong sessions at my place. 

Wow wee. 

Back to the picture, Those bear bear shades totally nailed the look. Mom matched my shades and shorts together?

Hahahha 

As for the pose? I apparently started young with fatty belly and all!

Next, 

This was taken at home with the sister and our beloved piano. 

Sometimes random stranger would ask if we are twins. 

We understand that our mother fancies dressing us alike, but one really short twin and one really tall twin?! 

Well.... When Da and I talk about it in recent years, she'll reason out that those strangers must have been really naive with low comparative skills. 

One really short twin? 

Doesn't make sense at all. 

Tsk.

Accessories accessories accessories.

The outfit of the day #ootd would be furry headband + sunnies + layered frilled dress. 

Le sister and I are obviously delighted with our matching dress and accessories!

This picture in the backdrop still exist at home to date. Omg!

Vintage frames.

The mom tells me that she very much misses the house when it has less furnitures.

We have so much stuff lying around everywhere, that she gave up prettifying the house a long time ago!

At one of our monthly outings to the beach, If my memory wasn't failing, we were heading out for an island tour/ ferry trip to Sister's island.

This is my mom still working her stylist aptitude on her kids. 

I pointed to her that she obviously dissected the set of outfit and exchanged them, and she laughed. 

Good job mommy!

This is my mommy and I "bickering". 

We start our love-hate bicker really young. 

Judging by both the parent's expression… 

I figured it must have been something that I suggested or said that triggered their reactions.

Dad's like huh? What's going on you both?

While the mommy would give me her usual "you sure you're allowed to do it…" sort of standard answers..

While my sister usually just ignores and stares far away doing her own stuff~ 

This picture depicts family life as it is.

Oh and the brother isn't in existence yet. But in reality, he adopted Da's far away stance whenever Mommy, Da and I start on one of our epic girlie topics over dinner. 

Totally predictive. Who's to know that our personalities would have been captured at such tender age?

Lastly, a random picture of us at home, celebrating daddy's birthday. 

Their friends and colleagues all hidden behind the photographer. 

My folks used to throw parties at home every week, so perhaps that's why my mom dressed us up so much when we were kiddos. 

My dad, mom and uncle. 

So young! And so skinny!

My brother looked at the old pictures, and jokes that the picture is daddy and uncle at normal size, and what we see of them now in person, is similar to how wide screen TV works. 

Stretched. 

Blast from the past, evokes so much Nostalgic feeling, and seriously, home is truly where the heart is.

The dust from going through the photo albums is epic. 

They get into the eyes and nose, and made me itchy all over. 

It's good that I had mimi training, prior to picture spring cleaning. 

Mimi's been adopted by a Dutch family, and is currently on trial at their place. 

I hope everything works out for Mimi there! 

Posh place 

Bigger place for her to run and explore. 

Better food 

Access to the balcony ( mimi has a keen interest to birds.) 

I found out about it when I let her out for a stroll, and (her reaction) when she saw snowy the speckled pigeon who lives by my room's air condition unit.

She practically dashed to my window in a flash, just to bird watch/ bird hunt.

I'm super glad that mimi's in good hands, and I am thankful for everything that has fallen into place so far. 

Thank you universe and the big guy up there for taking care of Mimi. 

One of those rare rare days that I'll wear a shirt.

That aside, nope. Dont like shirts much.

I reckon that there would be more narcissistic pictures to stay, since I'm intent on using my Camera to its maximum.

Keeping this picture here, incase I'll ever need a resume-ish looking picture.. might come in handy!

I secretly think that the red lipstick makes the picture a little more magical.

You think?

Glorious Saturday..

Saturday..

It's been a long time since I last clocked minimally 12 hours of sleep...

I must say that it feels good to just sleep.

and sleep 

and sleep!

Waking up at 6 in the evening feeling really contented, and a little guilty for wasting my saturday away; I decided on a short swim before dinner, because I was feeling pudgey from my melaka trip, and also the foot reflexology uncle said I needed to exercise a little more for the sake of my liver. 

Ok here we go.. Pudgey selfie before swim.

---

Kinda happy to have completed summer collection's photoshoot for iisa in just one night.

I pushed myself really hard to finish it all, and despite feeling faint after the shoot, and feeling crappily tired the next day..

it's all worth it knowing that i've cleared something major off my to-do list! 

Not forgetting the handful of hairstyles that I did up in just a night. This is just one of the crazier ones that I like!

Looking at this, I missed working on Bowtique, but since iisa is a waaaaaay bigger project that Bowtique, I really can't complain.

Ok done airing hairstyle, need to carry on photoshopping the outfits and send them out asap.

xoxo!

post edit:
Sometimes I wonder why I have to itchy backside and show my mom what makes me happy, only for her to tear apart my happiness in 2 seconds flat.

She kept nitpicking on the cropped top that I've chosen to pair up for the chiffon cover and cotton skirt.
Kept explaining to her that i'm not selling the top, and she kept insisting that the Chinese wont buy the cropped top. *Roar***

We fought over the cropped top designs that I had last year when Daddy invited her to join us at the Shenzhen Fair. Just because she heard some auntie at the fair mutter that cropped tops are too revealing and she told me that I have to design stuff that the people there will wear, and not just what I think is ok.

Seriously. I'm in the fashion industry.
A world where Models strut clothes naked without undergarment. Reveal cleavage, nipples and legs without batting an eyelid.
Here I am hearing my mom lecturing me about cropped tops.
She used to wear them. I wear them. My sister wears them, people run around in freaking sports bra.
*rolls eyes*

i'm Not working in a nun factory.
If I style my coordinates like what normal people would wear daily, then I'm not quite sure why magazines and fashion stylist would go over the top with their exotic works and portfolios, when it could just look like a John Little catalog at the end of the day.
Just because the auntie with a huge belly wouldn't wear it, does not mean that the entire world wouldn't.

I really really hate how the smallest comment given by an insignificant fly, would shake and move her world, and therefore she thinks her daughter commits a heinous crime because of what she hears.
Perhaps its from my mom that I learnt to shut out what the world thinks about me.

I'm almost certain that woman didnt give birth to me whenever we broach up subjects relating to how I'll like to live my life or my visions.
#confirm fight or cry.
Just because something looks frivolous, does not mean that effort and hard work wasn't invested in it.
In reality, it does take skill to look frivoulous okay.
:(


For example, I actually took 34687294- shots each outfit..
only to shortlist and create this.

In that case, I guess i'm my daddy's daughter then.
*but to be fair, even if she doesn't agree with me and how I envision my life path to be, she still lets me go through whatever I want, and puts me through design school and all despite hoping that I'll choose something more useful academically.
That's what love is all about. I'll try to like what you like, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.

~forevermisunderstood

Maison Martin Margiela

I almost forgot about the MMM  x Swarvoski collaboration that I saw months back last year.
It's so delicious looking!
Especially when its clear and pretty.

There's something just very appealing about crystals in a "raw" format to me.
It's like a pretty sparkling icicles of sorts (I believe the correct word would be Stalactite, but I prefer refering to it as icicles).
My love for crystals will never stop (ever!)

No amount of words is going to describe its awesomeness.
This is definitely an artwork on its own.
However, this is as far as it goes.
I doubt this ring would survive the abuse from my daily wear and tear, but hey!
At least this one's waaaay more affordable than the Mauboussin one that I fancied dinosaur years ago.

Ted Baker Ronee Enamel Heart Matinee wallet

Spring cleaning, and I found my old Ted Baker wallet of yester~years...

I'm pretty much still wearing my chain watch, but the wallet has long been retired with its pretty rose gold hardware looking pretty scratched up.

However, I'm still super in love with it to date.

Of course, I'm aware of the other color variations that it was once available in.

Alas! Aside from Ebay's used wallets, its no longer available for sale :(

*uber sad face*

Posting pictures of the wallet found online here for nostalgia and admiration purposes.

#WoesOfAShoppaholic

Okay bye!

Buying happiness

They say you can't buy happiness with money.

Oh well, Instagram shopping is quite a killer. Waiting for happiness to arrive. 

Can't. Wait. For. Sunday. 

It's when the Bangkok loots arrive in SG!

Excited and anticipating is one of those irreplaceable feeling! 

So I'll say, money CAN buy happiness. 

The instant gratification sort of happiness! 

Lololol 

And I think I've stocked up enough new clothings and underwear for about 20 days worth of the Chinese New Year! 

I'm trying my very best not to look at them and be contented with the already worn clothes recently! 

Resisting temptation is really quite hard work, especially so on brain dead days, or when you head out to meet friends.

#1weektoCNY

2014 is looking exciting to me.

I see growth, success, money and someone who will love me wholly. 

Someone who will love me for who I am, and let's me be me, without restraints, boundaries and rules.

These are stuff in a relationship that I cannot compromise on, and it's really important that the next guy that I date seriously, is able to see through my requirements.

After all, seeing eye to eye in things is really important. And when you don't, you'll just never be able to compromise and love each other for who they are. 

#truestory

Raspberry pink purple ombré Christmas

My tree's up! 

Been procrastinating for over a week.

I would usually time line the home tree to the lights at orchard when time permits. 

But November was considerably busy, seeing that I was mostly out of Singapore, I'm proud to say that the tree's up anyway! 

I'm still in my pink and purple phase, coupled with glitter and aurora that would NEVER go wrong.

Ornaments checked!

Tinsels checked!

Lights checked! 

Here we go!

Without lights 

And even the home screen of my phone is set according to the theme.

Obsessed with color scheme much?

Tralalala 

Please let it be a happy Christmas.

How sensitive are you to colors?

F1 is finally over!

I'm resting my body now and refused to leave the bed much.

The brain is in semi functional capacity though.

China has been rushing me to catch up with my paper work, and instead of fixing up my design and collections... I'm wasting so much time surfing.

This one that I found is amusing though.

I have to admit that I probably put in more effort in sorting out the color hues, than eating up my dinner tonight.

This is what I started with.

This is roughly what I did.

The final submission differs slightly from this after tweaking and changes.

I'm so disappointed that I only scored 11.

The scale works like this.

0 Perfect color acurity and 100 being low color accurity.

I'm at 11. 

Dislike!

All my life, I've always believed that i'm extremely sensitive to colors, and looking at my score,

I suddenly feel color blind. 

ok bye.

I'm going to stare at other things now that does not require color accuracy for now.

:(

*you've been warned about the potential heartbreak involved.

and in case you're still interested with the color hue test..

here is the link.

Mondays are good

Unlike the office working class friends. I actually do love Mondays.

After all, Mondays are leisure days, with paper work to catch up, along with the stay home option. 

It's really quite appealing to be on lazy mode at work.

This is Trixie doing nanny patrol.

Whenever I'm sleeping, she has this terrible habit of checking on me when I stir in my sleep just to see if I'm gonna be  ok. 

It's also the reason why I'd never let her sleep in my room at night, for We'd both be unable to rest well truly.

I may be a heavy sleeper, but the pattering sound of her nails on the floor, and the feeling of being spied on when I'm sleeping.....

Well, I don't like it. 

But I still love the doggles for being so sweet and attentive to me.

Now that its been raining alot in Singapore the past few days, I reckon that it's autumn season now! 

So here's my must have for the coming Fall! 

My cropped trench little jacket!

Bought this during my spring in China, and wore it once before flying back home. 

Its been stashed away in the wardrobe since.  Finally! Dug it out the other day, and steamed the creases away!

Been wearing my little jacket out just about everywhere! 

This was my coordinates for Sunday.

I spent my Sunday working, and the event was rather enjoyable, albeit physically tiring from too much walking. 

Hanging out with great clients can hardly be considered a job. 

Hohoho.

Aiyah, you get the idea.

Dressed for saturday midnight movie night in my jacket again. 

It's a great autumn piece for Singapore's weather without looking like a lunatic. 

Watched Percy Jackson and the sea monsters. Second installment isn't as good as the lightning thief installment. 

Found the yummy icecream that I ate in Japan. 

This one's caramel( slight peanuty taste)  coating on the outside, with soft Mochi and vanilla icecream on the inside. 

The Mochi center is heavenly!

The jap mart located at star vista seems to be a little treasure cove. 

Since Star Vista is only 2 stone's throw away from home, I'm going to raid there a little more the next time round, and apparently the Korean mart is due to be opened rather soon. 

Looking forward.

I've been quite lucky with freebies lately. 

I received a few full sized products to try out, and being typically enthusiastic about new stuff, I have already started on the new products. 

The newest to join the lot will be this bottle of Albion gold oil. 

I tried it on my hair, and it works pretty well for my dry ends. (I happen to have insanely long hair, the ends and knots are the deadliest!)

Apparently it can also be used for the skin. 

I'm not usually a fan of oil on my face.

But Having applied the oil on my hair ends with my hands,

I noticed that the oil absorbs pretty well into my hands with no yucky residual oily after feel.

The albion gold oil is pretty light with a light floral scent. Which is great for people like me. afterall, heavy scent gives me a terrible headache after smelling too much. 

Perhaps I really should brace myself up, and try the oil on my face soon. 

Lastly, Here's one of me after a bath sans makeup with humongous eyerings! 

Haven't been sleeping properly lately juggling between Singapore and china's workload.

BUT I do believe that it's deadly important for the skin to be unstressed as much as possible, and I try to apply as little layers of make up whenever possible.

Therefore I cannot understand why so many girls (in my industry) pile on tons and tons of powder, in the name of beauty. 

In fact it's does quite the opposite to you, if you know what i mean. 

It's as if the layer of powder applied on the face is linked to their confidence level. 

Tsk