{ June goals 2013 }

{ What I MAde - Goal Cards. Oct 23, 2012 }

{ What I MAde - Goal Cards. Oct 30, 2012 }

As I mentioned before, I have finished reading Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible and am working on my set of goals. One of the exercises is to create a deck of Goal Cards. Here is mine using blank notecards, graph paper and MT tapes that I have around my home. A few pointers from the book when creating your goals:

Write your goals with the "3P" in mind: Use personal, positive and present tense when writing goal statements. For example: I'm super healthy and run marathon in 2013. After you finish writing down your goals on paper, try to visualize them. Imagine how it feels like to have achieved those goals. Then act as if you have already achieved them. (You may want to do a vision board to help visualize your goals.) Create a set of goal cards so you can remind yourself of your goals whenever you need to. Brainstorming: Do brainstorming often on problems you encounter and on how you can achieve your goals. Pick one of your most important goals and come up with 20 ideas of what you can do to move towards that goal. Pick some of the ideas you just come up with and act on them immediately. Do the brainstorming often to exercise your mental power. The more you do the exericse, the easier it gets. It will make a difference in your career and your life when you are able to contribute new ideas and act quickly on them.

I will post more notes from the book later on since I think it is very useful.

{ Art Journal - Oct 18, 2012 }

{ Art Journal - Oct 18, 2012 }

I took pages from a local photo magazine, Memo, to make this journal page about my goals. I have been reading Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible. Brian Tracy talks about unlocking our potential by setting goals that will scare us. And to take actions everyday towards those goals. I applied his Three P Principle (Positive, Personal and Present tense) when writing down my goals. I may or may not achieve them all but I'm sure I will have no regreat when I look back in the future.

{ September 2012 - To-Dos }

{ September 2012 - To-Dos }
Study       List Design courses Regist courses Read 2 books in September      Work       Resume update      Business     Business plan continue Potential product list      Design       Business logo design Product design brainstorm Zines Drawing practice      Finance        Investment options	Family       Meal plan Outing plan Weekly Routine Plan updat      Health       Exercise [ 16x / month ] Cook [ 12x / month ] Dentist appointment Dr. Appointment Haircut Facial appointment      Leisure       Exhibition list Movie date night Travel plan      LifeEdit       Clear desk Clear and organize top shelf Scan and recycle notes and magazine

P.S. I want to get a filofax, but they're so expansive! So I will keep using my small leather notebook. (The one shown in the above photo.) It is surprisingly easy to make. Perhaps I will write a tutorial about it later on.

{ What I MAde #24 - Leather Sketchbook }

What I Made # 24 - Leather Sketchbook.

I got a sketchbook for my trip to Cambodia. It contains lots of memories and has also became some sort of an art journal - sketchbook - idea book. When I came back to Hong Kong, I decided to make a leather cover for it since it is a very good size to work with, small enough to carry around all day, and can be replaced at a reasonable price. Here is what the end result looks like. I have also included a rough sketch of the pattern used here.  Material needed: a piece of sturdy leather, sketch paper, scissor or cutter, wax thread, leather craft tool for punching holes, sewing needles, embellishment and snap button.  Take measurement of your notebook or sketchbook, mark down on a piece of paper. Mine is roughly 11.5cm x 15cm. Add 0.5cm margin to both the top and bottom. Wrap a piece of paper around the sketchbook and make sure you have enough material before cutting the leather. Take a rough measurement of your pens to determine where the cuts for pen slot are going to be, the width and length of the cut. (Part E of the sketch) Also determine where you would like to add embellishment on the cover, then mark down the measurement for the snap button strip  to be cut from the back cover ( Part F of the sketch ) Cut out the paper and trace the measurement and marks onto a piece of leather. Punch holes and add on the embellishment, cut the pen slot and snap button strip.  Add the snap buttom, fold along the two lines and glue the margins together. (Part A and B together, same for part C and D) Wait till completely dry. Then punch holes along the 0.5cm margin line to sew the cover together. Finish!! Enjoy :) Experiment and see what different designs you can come up with.

{ Drawing Sketches - Feb 1, 12' }

I have been working on several new projects lately. Some of them have to do with my trip to Cambodia shortly after 2012 New Year. Two of them are submissions for creative projects. The photos above show some of my sketches. Will post more about this when the result comes out.

{ Life Goal #1 - Nov 16, 11' }

I created a collage with some of the digi elements provided by Helga of the ARTchix Studio. Then wrote up some of the life goals that I would like to achieve on it. The collage now sits on the wall facing my desk at home and I made a copy for my planner as well.

{ What I'm Reading - Nov 9, 11' }

What I'm Reading.

I'm reading Taming Time. It is one of the books I got from City University on time management. It talks about setting priorities, plans and goals. Just got to 1/3 of it and going to try the time log tomorrow.

{ Happy Tuesday - Nov 1, 2011 }

Happy Tuesday :D

Mr. C finally let me play with his ipad + the wifi! Lots of fun free apps on the ipad now~~~ (I know I'm really late with this but I only come to the "i-thing" recently. The only other "i-thing" I have is an ipod nano 5... ) Anyway I especially like Labelbox (allows you to make labels for photos), Meeting Box (productivity app), Talking News (the one with Ben and Tom), Japan Life (a cute game with adorable graphics. I still have many others to play with. :D) I think I have posted about the leather bag I made not so long ago but this time I used label box to spice it up. Nice. I have also been watching videos and reading books about time management and GTD alot lately. One of things that really hits me is that I need to set up reward for myself when my daily and weekly todos are all done. I took a photo of all the yummy food I will get to eat as long as I finish off all the items on my list. Will see how it goes.

{ June Goal, What I Made # 13 & 30DJC }

What I MAde # 13 & 30Day Journal Challenge

#1 of 30DJC - Introduction. My June Goal list. Birthday Gift for mom: a mini leather pouch and a Tony Moly Lip Balm. I also got a mini bunny hand cream for myself.

{ Outing : Shatin to Ma On Shan Apr 9 & 10, 11' }

Went to Ma On Shan twice during the weekend. The first time with Mr. C to a remote location where lots of people are flying kites. (Apr 9th) Then again on the 10th from Shatin to Ma On Shan. It took us about an hour to walk from our apartment to Ma On Shan. It is summer already in Hong Kong and  the weather is so so nice. There are so so many places that are waiting to be explored even in such a small place like HK. Will go hiking and outing more in the summer time.

{ Wreck This Journal --> Feb 18, 11' }

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

Feb 17, 11' - Doesn't it feel good when someone tell you that you have done a good job? This is a little reminder I created for myself when I need that extra push. Feb 18, 11' - Finally finished my 2011 resolution list. Going to break them down and create a form to keep track of them.

{ Craft Project - Nov 10' }

To Do List - Craft Projects November 10'

Mr. C's birthday card (Graphic Design -> Sketch) Mr. C's birthday present (Craft -> Making) 1 leather pouch (Making) 1 small leather bag (Planning) 1 leather bag (Planning)

I would like to make leather bags and accessories in the future, so I need to practice more. The above photos show part of Mr.C's present and the leather pouch that I'm making. I really think it is necessary for people to find out what they're passionate about coz making things, drawing and reading are all so enjoyable for me that they help me to relax after a long day of work.

{ My Travel Journal & 1st Video - Shanghai Sept 2010 }

I mentioned before that I have made a travel journal for my Shanghai trip . (Based on Teesha Moore's videos.) Here it is finally. I have made a video for it (My 1st video!)and uploaded to youtube. Does anyone know any free and good video editing software? I tried to find an editing function on youtube but it doesn't seem to have it. Anyway here is the video. Enjoy :)

P.S. A point for me for doing something new (my 1st video!) in November -> one of my monthly goals. :)

{ Project Update - Book of Happiness }

I mentioned that I have started a Book of Happiness project way back in the summer but have not talked about it since. Basically I divide pages of an A5 notebook into grids like that of a monthly calendar and fill in the dates. Then I will take photos and write down the good things that happen everyday on the book. At the end of the month, I will print the photos and glue them onto the grids accordingly. Even though I did not post in the book everyday, I still think it is a good idea to keep track of all the good things that happened. I get to carry the little book with me everywhere and flip through it to cheer me up :) So I will definitely keep up with this and hope to encourage others to start their own happiness book as well.

Aug 10' page - (Click the above pic to enlarge.) Sept 10' page - (Click the above pic to enlarge.)

{ New Projects! - Food Diary & Book of Happiness }

I have started 2 new mini lists (or projects?) to help me reach my goals: a Food Diary and a Book of Happiness. (To be healthy) Food Diary: I started to do it because Mr. C is "supposed" to be on a diet and is to keep track on what he eats but he often forgets. So it is easier for me to keep track of the meals we have together while at the same time, it helps to remind me to eat more healthy food. I used a half-filled monthly planner for it. Will take photo of the inside as Aug comes to an end. (To be grateful) Book of Happiness: I want to take more photos so decided to take photos of the small wonders everyday and at the end of month I will print one photo/day and stick them onto this little book. When I'm upset, all I need to do is to take one look of whats inside to make me happy and ready to go again. What do you do to help achieve your goals??

{ Goals for August, 10' }

My goal list for August, 2010.
I have not reviewed my July goal list yet, but I know already what is working and what is not working, so I make some changes to my August list.

Finish Yearly plan and Bucket List. Plan everyday & follow it. Research Arch / Design School. Work Portfolio & Job Search. School Portfolio. Reading. Finish The Last Lecture in July, continue reading What Should I Do With My Life. Start learning Leather Craft, Crochet, Ocarina (Starting Aug 8- 4 classes each in Aug) See Uncle Chan for Chinese medicine. (at least 2x / week - 10x Aug) Finish 30 Day Journal Challenge. (12 pages left - Aug) Start working on Keri Smith's book How to be an Explorer of the World. Morning page. (31x -  Aug) Drawing. (15x - Aug) Grateful page. (15x - Aug) Blog post. (2x / week - 10x - Aug) Exercise. (3x / week.12x - Aug) Pray. India info search. Keep Budget. Cooking. (2x / week - 10x - Aug) Craft kit. (1 kit - Aug)

{ Cooking July 27, 28 10' }

Here are some more photos for my cooking exercises:

Potato with pork, veggi, and soba. I only took photos of the dishes that I didn't make often. I made my 1st curry dish on the 28th but forgot to take photo before eating it all up :-(  . Making curry is difficult, sure I can always buy the premade stuff from the supermarket, but as Mr. C said " It lacks the different layers of taste real curry has..." ?? Mr. C is a picky eater :-D So I'm going to look into making the "real ones" in the future.

{ Russian doll craft kit - July 10' }

• I finally finished one of the many craft kits I have at home. This is a Russian doll id kit I got from Ann . I'm not good at sewing but still managed to finish it. It is really easy to make once I took the first step  to make it. :) Taking the first step is already 1/2 the battle!  Going to give to mama when she comes to visit in November.
• Finish 1 craft kit (July10')
• Recent Haul: 3 sets of stamps (perfect for stamping onto agenda coz they're so tiny!), 1 PaulF notebook, and a travel book for India. I have been thinking about backpacking India recently. I would love to go around Sept if possible but need to do a lot of research for it. 
• Has anyone been to India? How do people like it? Any tips?

{ Cooking June 23, 25, 28 10' }

One of my goals is to cook more instead of eating out so often since it is a lot healthier & helps to save up some $. So I decided to cook at least twice/week. Even though the dishes I made are just ordinary ones, nothing fancy for a beginner like me :) , I would still like to record them here. June 23, 10'

Carrot & Pea with Egg Sweet & Sour Tofu Tapanyaki with Vegetables June 25, 10'

Eggplant in Spicy Sauce Veggi Salad

June 28, 10'

Lettuce pocket with veggi filling