Hey you.

You. Yes, you. I am writing this for you.

I know you are reading this. And I want you to know I am writing this for you. No one else will understand. No one else knows. They think that this is for them. But it’s not. I am writing this for you.

I want you to know, life…it’s hard. Every day can be a challenge. It can be a challenge to get up in the morning. To get yourself out of bed. To put on that smile. But I want you to know, even through the tough times, you are amazing. You really are.

You should be happy. You are gorgeous. You are loved endlessly.

I know that the weather might not be perfect. You might have to turn your back to the wind or feel the cold nipping at your nose. But you know what, at least you are there to feel it. At least you can enjoy the sun’s warm rays on your face. You know what that means? 

You are alive. Your life is a precious gift. 

If you don't live for something, you'll die for nothing. I hope you'll find it.

Celine Resort 2012

As expected and adored, Celine resort 2012 was strong and minimal, with sharp cuts and what I call 'clinical' whites. But this time, there was an exploration of loud floral prints with bright pink and slick leather. Crazy fun for a resort collection.

Tips from an expert consecutive all-nighter-er.

I am a self-proclaimed expert and experienced in pulling consecutive all-nighters, yet to people's wonder, still remain fresh-faced. In the last six days, I've only slept in my bed TWICE! I believe this isn't uncommon to people involved in design industries (there's a reason it's called architorture). So, here's my tip on successfully (yet unhealthily) hacking your sleep during those high-pressure times. But do remember that, it takes you a few days to a week, to fully recover from fatigue, and pay off sleep debt.

1. Throw everything on your bed. Anything! And the sharper or more fragile the objects, the better! So, not your cat, toilet paper, and clothing. This is so that you won't fall into the temptation of the seductress that is your bed. No cats, because during moments of insanity, which you're bound to have, you'll become mad and extremely jealous of your cat that is curling up on your very bed and feel immense self-pity. So chuck on the bed those blenders, tea pots, picture frames, suitcases, guitars, shoehorns, lamps, corn chips, iPads, scissors, etc.

2. Stock up on sugar. Eat more food to compensate for sleep deprivation. If you're not going to get energy from sleep, get it from chocolate. See Exhibit H. 

Exhibit H

3. Tell your family and friends to leave you alone. But still be active on Facebook/instagram/twitter.

4. Take 25-minute caffeine naps. No, not power naps, caffeine naps! Down an espresso and set your alarm for no more than 30 minutes. Because caffeine takes awhile to start having an affect, when you wake up the caffeine has kicked into full gear. Woo!

5. Music can be a life saver during an all nighter. Pick some music that's loud enough to keep you awake, but calm enough to not be a distraction. I also listen to empowering and encouraging Podcasts all throughout the night and morning, like "Your best days are ahead of you!"

6. Parcetamol and antihistamines are your friends. This unlikely friendship forms only because after a couple of days, fatigue brings a little stubborn friend along, the headache.

7. Colourful make-up.  Because "wow, you look tired" isn't exactly a compliment. Don bright lipstick and blush to add colour to your dull vampire skin. Et voila!

8. Always know that there's more to life than study, college, assignments, and presentations.

Should you shave your legs? Flow Chart

Verdict: hairy legs and pyjamas! Now, back to the drawing board I go.

Week of Doom.

Deadlines are looming in like dark storm clouds swallowing up the clear blue sky. One brief consists of a look-book, bound by hand (hand-made, far out), that consists of sixty technical drawings, so-called flats, and thirty photoshop illustrations. Yes, SIXTY, and THIRTY. And that is just one brief out of countless that is due this coming week, Dooms Week I call it. I am multitasking, because I'm female, between adobe illustrator, adobe photoshop, an essay on Sumptuary Laws on dressing in Medieval England, and flipping through fashion illustration books. I just want to be able to work like this illustration above. And not worry about the fact that sometimes, they can have one arm. No problemo. This is from Fashion Illustrations by Fashion Designers – amazing book showcasing the outlandish drawings of the big name designers trying to articulate their ideas for their lines.


Now in the name of procrastination, I am going to paint my nails and go shave my legs. 


Tootles.


Just kidding, I'm not shaving legs.


I am.


I'm not.


Maybe.


I have lost my sanity. It's 3am.

A Place in the Sun, Vogue UK, June 2011

I love fashion editorials, greatly because of the 'mood' it evokes. The mood here? It's carefree without being reckless, dreamy without being lazy; it's kicking off one's shoes and running through the sprinkler even when you're wearing a designer dress. At this very moment, as I type this on my laptop, I am bedridden, outside its cold and the winds howling, and I'm sweating it out in 3 layers of pyjamas. This editorial ultimately makes me want to pin these smiling, dreaming, sun-on-face and wind-in-hair photos up on a wall somewhere. Feeling a little jealous of my bestfriend who is in sunny Europe right now.

Model: Dree Hemmingway

Photographer: Tom Craig

Stylist: Bay Garnett

The Hills Have Eyes, Twin Magazine 2011

I love owls. That is all.

Photographer: Ben Toms

Model: Sarah Blomqvist

Stylist: Celestine Cooney

Monthly Recap May'11

Sorry for the lack of posts this month. I've been dealing with a lot of things. It's been an emotional yet fulfilling roller-coaster ride. But heck, I love roller-coasters!  I even love aggressive airplane turbulence if you know what I mean! And just to put it out there:

"Tears shed for self are tears of weakness. 

But tears shed for others are a sign of strength."

Billy Graham

Laundry list of things memorable about the month:
Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, and due dates.
Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.
Brother buys a cappuccino-maker. Saves me $3!
Setting my alarm for a 2 hour nap, but waking up 20 hours later, and missing out on a meeting.
Styling a photo-shoot for a children's TV presenter.
Making the almost-2 hour trip to have Yum Cha with my college girls.
Spending way too much time on youtube and using up my monthly bandwidth in 2 weeks.
Being in the same city as Nigahiga and Kevjumba!
Weekly catch-ups with the most inspiring and beautiful girls in the world.
Roasting chestnuts and marshmallows in the open fire under the night sky, and discussing life and spirituality.

Bombardment of yucky weather (gale force winds and torrential rain).

Losing 3 umbrellas this month. 1 of them borrowed. Oops.

Dealing with wounds of the past, that has opened up. This time, I'm not going to 'cover it with a bandage'.

Really yearning for New York City.
Being bedridden for 25 hours.
Pain-killers giving me awful constipation.
3 models on 'standby' not confirming, and I might hyperventilate soon!
Arguing with a 11 year-old-girl that Sam Tsui is so much cooler than Justin Bieber. (She has yet to grow up to listen to her elders.)

Music stuck on repeat:
Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's
1,2,3,4 - Plain White T's
Cooler than me - Mike Posner
The more I seek You - Kari Jobe
That Girl - David Choi
We could happen - AJ Rafael
Don't want an ending - Sam Tsui


Books read(ing):
The Book of Matthew
The Final Quest - Rick Joyner
Systematic Theology - Wayne Grudem

3 things I am thankful for this month:
Orange juice.
Stumbleupon.com for successful procrastinating.
Laxatives.

Dear...

Dear self,
The temperature's dropping fast. Single girls should always carry their own jumpers around.


Dear Nigahiga,
My youtube boyfriend, I can't believe we are breathing the same city oxygen, but I didn't get to see you! So sad, oh so sad. "Mel-BORN (Melbourne)... Adel-lady (Adelaide)...." I think your attempt at the Aussie accent, was too cute. Less than three. <3.


Dear bro,
Sorry I always forget you are colour-blind, and I asked you to leave the green (pistachio) macaron for me. My heart aches a little inside every time I think of how, in the future, you won't be able to see the full spectrum of beautiful colours of my fashion collections.


Dear low self-esteem,
I'm glad we parted ways! When I realised how much I was worth, what was written on my price tag, it totally messed with my head. I'm happy with who I am.


Dear 4kg,
Oh hey, this is awkward. I didn't see you come in. I'm guessing you invited yourself onto my hips, huh. I just didn't see you coming, which I imagine was poor planning on my part.


Dear future husband,
Can you please hurry up? Everyone around me is hooking up and getting hitched!


Dear God,
I do want to fly higher. Show me the amazing view from up there! I want to keep seeing!

Monthly Recap: April '11

Currently obsessed with:
Ryan Higa. Any boy that can make me laugh like that, deserves my attention.
Macarons. Yes, the obsession continues. Tried new flavours this month; black sesame and peanut butter.
Skin already showing signs of fatigue and aging.
Trying to tick off the first and easiest thing on my bucket list, but ain't easy considering I have thinning hair.
My logo design.
Coffee + condensed milk = pure energy goodness
God. Because He was obsessed with me first.
And this couple...

Laundry list of things memorable about the month:
Weddings, weddings, birthdays, graduations, graduations, graduations, baby showers and birthdays.
And of course, the Royal Wedding.
Bowling night.
Party, dressed up in school uniforms, gifts and blessings to two yummy mummies.
The most amazing Easter weekend ever. Like, wow.
Best camp experience ever. We will never be the same.
Sleeping only 11 hours across 3 days.
Taking a 14 hour nap and waking up in the evening.
Opening of ZARA's flagship store affecting sales at work.



Music stuck on repeat:
0330 - UKiss
Peaches - New Heights
Count on me - Bruno Mars
Love  - Jaeson Ma (ft. Bruno Mars)
Good life - One Republic
None but Jesus - Hillsong United

Books read(ing):
One Day - David Nicholls
Systematic Theology - Wayne Grudem

3 things I am thankful for this month:
The Cross.
Mac Book Pro.
Open Door family.

A little bit of my bucket list

dye my hair platinum blonde
spend Thanksgiving in the states
Songkran water festival in Thailand
have my name and picture in a magazine or newspaper
be featured in someone else's blog
live in New York City
eat pizza in Italy
kiss on the Eiffel tower
bungee jump with my boyfriend/fiancee/husband
go to a Yankee's game
become friends with numerous strangers I meet on the street, in the elevator, the check-out-chick etc
speak to young women about self-worth and identity
undergo DTS in Switzerland
speak fluent French
witness an eclipse, even better a solar eclipse
write a book
be 49kg
fly and cruise first-class
visit and sleep in a castle in England
drive down route 66
touch down in all seven continents
collect russian nesting dolls and teddy bears
have a ragdoll cat and a golden retreiver as pets
watch every movie that won the Academy Awards best picture
become an early riser
sponsor someone who makes a big breakthrough in art, religion, science, or fashion
renew wedding vows every 10 years
have a library in the house
mentor someone in the fashion industry
be acquainted with Anna Wintour
open a cafe, sell only fair-trade coffee
set slaves and prostitutes free, let's abolish human slavery!
have lots of miraculous testimonies up my sleeves
audition for Project Runway 
eat escargot (french snail dish)
start a fashion trend, or 'it' item
sponsor and financially support the seven missionaries in my family
eat cheese fondue in Sweden
count down at Times Square on New Year's eve
take acting or singing classes
style a fashion editorial for a renowned publication
sit in jury of an interesting murder case
perfect a macaron recipe
capture my 'unicorn'

This may be my bucket list, but ultimately it will not bother me if I do not kick half these buckets. What will bother and truly disturb me is, if I have lived a life that did not make a difference in this world, or speak truth into people's lives, bring joy and blessing, love and serve as many people as I could, nor lived out my calling according to God's purpose.