My Little Ballerina Fairy~*

So last night I published my post without any content. "What's up with that" some of you wonder. Well...well...well, not gonna lie to you. I had nothing to say...lol. I was hoping and praying that a phrase "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" would prove to be true" for me.

This weekend our family completed the last activity in our October list "Company Picnic" at a park. To my pleasant surprise, a cooler weather arrived JUST in time to spend time outdoor and all the blood suckers (mosquitoes) were completely gone. It left us with a lovely and cool weekend.


My company held a Costume Contest for kids this year. Such a great mother that I am, I hadn't bought her any Halloween outfit before this context (until yesterday..ONE DAY before Halloween we went to Target and get her a little princess dress for her first and formal trick or treat). My creativity told me to put together a few things she has already had. I think her outfit is somewhat between "a ballerina / a fairy"....Voila...a stylish Ballerina Fairy!!! She didn't win but many people stopped and complimented how cute she was. We had a blast.

Pleats and Boots~*

{Dress: Zara l Belt: Forever21 l Boots: Steve Madden (Candence)}

Embracing Red & Excitment for Next Week~*

{Blouse: H&M / Skirt: Forever21 / Cardigan: Charlotte Russe / Necklace: from a local boutique}

Some of you may already know that I have been into red color as if late. I want to add red accent to every outfit I wear. Am I going through a red phrase? Is there such thing?? I received this H&M red blouse as a Christmas gift from my sweet sister-in-law last year. H&M doesn't have a store here where I live, I hate them!!





On another note, there will be some EXCITING stuff going on here (no, I am not pregnant!!). You will NOT want to miss, trust me! Stay tuned :D

An "H" Call

Just another day I came home from work, as soon as I stepped inside the house my husband just couldn’t wait to tell me what I got in a mail.

Husband: Looky..looky you got something from Herpes!!

Me: From Herpes? Herpes? What the heck? (My husband likes to refer to Hermes as Herpes – well kind of gross)

Husband: How in the world you are on their mailing list?

Me: Don’t you remember we went there to buy a little something teeny tiny earlier this year?

Husband: Oh, yeah I forgot. Wow babe, you are special!

Me: Give me a break (eye-rolling action), it is just a magazine. Tease me with more stuff I don’t can’t freakin’ afford.

My eyes lightened up like a Christmas tree when I saw this Barenia Alligator Birkin (poor alligator). It is like I can totally afford it. Even if I could, I would be too paranoid to carry a $xxx,xxx handbag in public with a constant fear that someone would kill me and steal a darn bag.



I adore the simplicity and understated elegance of Hermes but there are certain designs which I totally do not understand their concepts or inspirations. Perhaps, my lack of sophisticated eyes and not so vey artistic minded suppress my ability to see the abstract beauty within. Some of their stuff look totally wacky – don’t even mention the prices..good grief!

I believe that they got an inspiration from a cocoon…hmmmm....yeah

Disclaimer: these images were taken from Le Monde D'Hermes Automme-Hiver 2011

A pop of Red~*

{Top: LoveMode / Shorts: from Bangkok / Belt: Forever21}

A simple key to turn a dark colored outfit into something more interesting and eye-catching is by adding a pop of bright color. With a piece of two of bright colored accessories, your outfit will be transformed. I like this simple trick, very effortlessly chic to say at least. Forever21 is my favorite place to buy cheap and colorful belts, I wish they come in more colors and varieties.

My order of makeup/skincare goodies from Sasa finally arrived last week. Can't wait to try out this most talk-about DollyWink liquid eyeliner. I know my cat is just thrilled and dying to use it. I also bought a box of My Beauty Diary masks to try due to their rave reviews, not so impressed and I broke out with small pimples on my forehead :(. Oh well. Still have 8 packs of Bulgarian White Rose mask left, I may give them away to whoever that want to try later this week.

When I fall in love {with Steve Madden's Boot}

{Top and shorts: purchased from Bangkok / Boots: Steve Madden Candence Boot in Cognac}

My search for brown boots was eventually over two weeks ago. It had been 3 - 4 years ever since I bought my last pair and that was a black pair from Kohl's. For less than $70, I wore those babies to pieces..literally and got my money worth.

Boots are a must-have for fall and winter. I had always dreamt of wearing boots since I lived in a tropical country like Thailand where it never gets cold. My wish came true just when I relocated to the states.

Since my first pair was in black, I thought I wanted to have ones in brown this time. I knew exactly what I was looking for and this pair just matched all my criteria from its color, its style and price range. The best part - it is so incredibly comfortable. My feet fell in love! I didn't even know it was from Steve Madden until the sale lady went back to get me a new pair. To me, the brand doesn't matter as long as they are comfortable and I like it.

Experiencing "Blogging Blues"? & Tips to drive more traffic to your blog

Do you have one of those days when you feel kind of "blah", "blurred" or "blue" with blogging?

Yessss, I do..I do!!

As much as I have had a blast blogging for the past 1 year 3 months 20 days and counting, there are times when I feel so discouraged with blogging. There are days when I don't even feel like visiting my blog or do any blog related activities. There days when I feel like all my efforts go to waste. There are days when I ask myself "what do I blog for?", "why don't I get comments?", "why only a handful of people read it?", "is it that bad?", "Do I look like a bitch who runs people away ?", "what can I do to make it better?" and so on.



When you blog for awhile, some of these questions start popping in your head like popcorn in a microwave. When I first started out with this tiny blog in the blogsphere, I could care less about who would read it. I began my journey as a confused mother who lost balances in her life hoping to find her ways to adapt to a new lifestyle and discover her long lost passions. As I continue my writing journey and pour every single ounce of my heart out to craft each and every post, I am hoping to share, to interact and I want my voice to get heard by more audiences. I am hoping to meet people who struggle with similar situations I went through, mommies who like fashion/makeup, people who love animals, people who are bold on the outside but sensitive on the inside, people who care about other people's feelings, people who love photography and so on.

Blogging shares some similarities to hobby and work. I know I enjoy blogging very much because it is a channel of my expression and thought. I could write about anything I want..anything I love and I don't have to do it under anybody's supervision. Just like hobby, you do it in your free time and you find a great joy in what you do. It can be like work if you want to grow more readership and connect with more people.

We blog for many different reasons but most of us share one common goal. You want your stories to be heard...be read..and be noticed. You want to be found. When no one find us, it can be very discouraging. You look around at this blog..that blog and that blog. You honestly don't mean to compete with anyone but just can't help compare. Fewer and fewer people come back. Followers no longer follow you. Eventually, the excitement of blogging die down and you quit.

But I don't want to quit.....

Blogging has become a part of my life that I want to carry with me for as long as I can do this..as long as I have ideas to talk about...stories to share.

I think it is important to revisit some of these questions "why do I blog?", "what am I hoping to get out of blogging?", "what are my goals?"

Having something to focus on helps tremendously, you know why you do what you do and you know where you want to be. If you strictly want to blog for fun regardless of how many people read it, then stick to your goal. If you want to blog and connect with more audiences, you have to go out and find your audiences. I think I am one of those who blog and dream that people will find my blog. In reality, it is not easy when there are thousands of blogs out there.

Below are some of the topics I came across online that you may find helpful and increase your blog traffic. One thing to remember, do not spam other people's blogs by leaving thoughtless messages like "follow me, I'll follow you", "love you blog, check mine". I personally do not appreciate that, do it with respect.

I have never been to any blogging conferences but reading some of these ideas online really help bring some new and refreshing perspective in blogging.

How to increase your blog traffic: Two simple Ways >> shared by my dear bloggy friend Collette of StatementsinFashion

{Below tips come from Problogger.net: this is an AWESOME source for people who just want to blog for fun and for money}

7 Reasons No One Reads Your Blog (Except Maybe Your Mom)

Are You Blogging Just Like Everyone Else?

Space … Silence … Solitude … [What I Need More of as a Blogger]

65 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Blog

How to Make Any Good Blog Great

Last but not least, there are two most important elements in blogging: be who you are & blog about what you are truly passionate about because it really shows. If you do not have fun with it, you can't do it for long and readers can see that. Some of these tips are a bit too much for me like advertise your blog by setting up a yard sign, at a community center or grocery store. Pick methods that you are comfortable with, adopt and adapt to suit your liking. Stay true to yourself and be you. Good luck in your blogging journey.

Dramatic Black & White

Do you like black and white photos? There are only two colors but with different lighting / contrast, each and every photo creates different moods / feelings and emotions.

Isn't that amazing how colors play a big role in our lives and how each color effect our mood? Black and white photos are mysterious and classic-looking. Colored photos are vivid, fun and vibrant.



Some black and white look dramatic, some are dreamy.











Who doesn't like some Chanel black and white boxes? I absolutely hate it!! (Yeah right)



**Next post will talk about "How to get rid of your blogging depression"~** Stay tuned :O)

Love & Strenght~*

She is an average woman but she has a big heart...She has so much love to give...when she cries she hides her tears and fears, and pretend to be strong...She never gives up...

"She is a Mother".

Recently I came across a story of a female taxi driver in Bangkok who had to raise her young disabled child while on duty (this stories I read was dated back to 2009). You know she was a taxi driver so when I said she was on duty, it means she was on the road driving her cab. She had to tag long her (then a 3 year old) little disabled boy in a taxi. Her little boy had some sort of bone problems since birth so his body seemed disproportioned and could not walk normally.

As risky and dangerous as it may sound, she really couldn’t afford to find a caregiver thus a situation forced her to bring her little baby on the road with her since he was only 6 months old while working. Please don’t judge or blame her for risking her son's life by bringing him along and having him spent all day long in a vehicle. Like I said, she couldn't afford to pay a babysitter or a daycare.

In Thailand, car seats are no required by law and only certain group of population own vehicle (unlike the U.S. where almost everyone has his/her own vehicle. Vehicles are not something everyone can afford thus car seats are babies' luxurious gear) so you bet most children who ride in vehicles in Thailand are not buckled up in car seats (I know my husband was terrified when we brought our two years old with us in February and had to travel without a car seat but we all survived). In her case, she had to put her little boy in a passenger seat next to her so passengers could ride in the back.

{Images from womanstoryonline.com}

Her husband (jerk!!) left her so she had to raise her son all by herself by driving a cab (I believe she only had her mom who was quite old herself and once again there is no such enforced "child support" law in Thailand to enforce fathers to help pay for a child). From everything I could see, I can tell that she is a very loving and caring mother who would do anything for her child. To make her situation sound worse, she was suffering from SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder) which interfered her daily life activities.

This is just really sad how tough and cruel life can be for some people. I saw a brief video on Youtube showing how her day-to-day life in a cab with her son. As I watched the whole show, I could almost feel the love that this mother has for her child in every single word she said. You can also see the love in her eyes every time she looked at her son sleeping peacfully in a passenger seat. Her love was in her tender touch every time she touched that little boy. I felt that she wouldn’t give up no matter what happen.

There is also another extraordinary and very inspirational mother whom you may want to read {here}

That is mother’s love – an unconditional love

It is the kind of love that you can give up your own life just to save another precious life. It is the kind of love that you only want to give and do everything and anything.

One of the greatest things I have become to realize as a mother is....

Motherhood gives women the kind of "strength" she never thought she has – physically.and emotionally.

If you are a mother, you know that is a very true statement. A woman may suffer the loss of her husband from an affair, an accident, a sudden death or anything - but one thing she will never give up is her “strength”.

To all mothers out there including my own mother, you are strong...you are beautiful...you are extraordinary...you are loved.

Cheers.....~**

Purple Overloaded~*

{Feather Earrings: Forever21 / Blouse: purchased in Bangkok}
.

Purple is such a lovely and perfect color for Fall/Winter. It comes in all kind of shades ranging from light with subtle pink like lavender to deep eggplants color. In my motherland, purple represents sadness. As some people say it is a color of a widow. I am not sure where that came from, I have to do some research.

There are only two purple pieces in my closet. I would love to add more pieces in lavender and deep eggplant colors. For Barney's hardcore fans out there, I hope I don't resemble the look of purple and green dinosaur..haha.

Pretty purple flowers

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch~*

What a fun-filled weekend! It was such a jam packed weekend filled with activities. Very exhausting by the end of Sunday because we were constantly on the go. Too many things to do, so little time. We started off Saturday morning by picking up a birthday cake for daddy bright and early. Then came home, surprised daddy, went to the pumpkin patch, to a restaurant for lunch, to a car dealership, to the mall and finally came home. On Sunday, it was a little less hectic yet jam packed with grocery run, playground, two birthday celebrations, a visit to a local fire station. Now I am ready for an extra day off!!

You bet, we went to the pumpkin patch for a photo shoot. The church we went to had a Fall Festival this weekend so it was very crowded with kiddies and pumpkins all over the place. There was a petting zoo (and a little deer gnawed my top, yeah...yum), a train ride, snow cones and more. Our little one could care less about pumpkins!! It was all the sight and seen that got her all excited and distraced. We couldn't really get good pictures of her with pumpkins. Maybe we will go back at a later week this month.

These two ducks are my most favorite and adorable at a petting zoo. They walked together in pair and made noise as if they were arguing at each other. So hilarious.

Thought I changed the tone of music a bit to something a bit groovy and upbeat to welcome Monday.

"เธอใช่ไหม"

Secret Garden~*

Welcome to Secret Garden where is not so very secretive. Flowers are blooming in full swing. Trees are as green (and brown from drought) as they can be. Helloooo....helloooo....where is a sign of Fall????? Where are yoooooou? Actually the weather is in the mid 60F this morning , what a pleasant surprise!

Dress / Cardigan / Belt: Forever21

Sunglasses: Guess

Shoes: purchased from Bangkok

Bag: Dior Panarea (folded version)

I knew I could not go wrong buying summer dress towards the end of Summer because Fall does not approach as quick as most people want it to. I bought this dress last month when I did my once in three month cloth shopping. This dress has a potential to transition to fall, I am looking forward to paring it with brown boots or somethhing.

This weekend, I plan to take my little one to the pumpkin patch at this particular church we go every October. There will also be a petting zoo, train rides and those kiddies' fun stuff. We will have a blast snapping pictures of our little pumpkin next to the real pumpkins. I am hoping to share some photos with you next week.

*~Holding back the years: Gretchen Parlato~*

Hope you enjoy my once a day "jazz" therapy :) Have a great grand weekend and I will catch up with you on Monday :)