While others decorate their home with primitive decoration from gift shops – I loved to decorate my house with crystals or this kind of Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps because I hear it brings calmness and harmony just like when I am wearing the Swarovski Crystal beads – these are always supposed to bring me good luck and good health.  A home is so important to me – and I would do just about anything to keep the flow of the home good, most people wonder why I don’t buy diamonds instead – but what good is a diamond if they don’t bring you love and good health?  So if you are thinking of re-doing your home or moving into your new home – think of these Himalayan Salt Crystals as well as real Swarovski crystals for yourself.  All my daughters have a pink in color crystals and the son who is in college – he has a black one.

These vintage pyrex can be found on Etsy – and they are like $20 a piece – and I would love to have them for Christmas – unfortunately, it comes from the States and I’m afraid that shipping may damage them – so I’m going to have to town to the original owners about ways of shipping them to me in Canada.

What pretty lamps right?  you would think it is very expensive but apparently not – bought in Thailand at $12 each – they are actually a DIY project – easy and all you have to do is put different light bulbs into them and light up.  I will find out more about it  – and see if I can order them online.  Check back later folks.

Wall dressing is so important in a home – be it an apartment or an entire house you have – but I’m not as bold as the friend – I don’t have a huge painting in my dining room like she has – but this definitely is something everyone should think about.  Why?  because it looks so distinctive and takes your breathe away when you walk into a home.  I loved this but my home walls are never as huge – what a pity eh.

Shell lamps like this one is not uncommon – in fact during the 80s  – they were really popular – so when I saw them at our local Wicker’s Emporium – I cannot helped but think of the shell lamp that I had so admired when I was a kid at my mom’s friend home.  I think they had gotten theirs from a holiday trip they took in Philippines – and I think whoever designed this lamp must either be inspired by a Filipino or is an Asian.

It’s very pretty – but for a pair even on sale it would cost me close to $200 – so I didn’t buy it now – I will wait for a clearance before getting it.  For now I would just have to enjoy my shell chime that I had bought and hung on my windows.

Like any woman of the house – one is always on the look out for good dishes – and when they come on sale – we have to get some.  I have been using Corelle’s dishes for as long as I have been living in Canada – and that’s because my parents used to use the same kind of dishes too.  But once in a while -I prefer stoneware more than Corelle.

These days – stoneware are so pretty – and they are a lot cheaper than Corelle – so I can’t resist them either.

Plus you can see they come in different shapes and sizes that can be quite pretty on a dinner table – whether you are having a buffet or a sit down during a birthday or Christmas’s.  So I bought some – and will be buying more – to collect a set of 7 for Christmas – oh wait – Thanksgiving first.

I saw this for sale at our local yard sale – and I’ve always wanted to buy a writing desk like this – but she was asking for $600 for it – and it was way too much for me to spend on a writing desk – that I wanted more for decorative purpose.  The reason why I wanted this desk was because I had seen this in an old show when I was very young – like a teenager – and I’ve always been on a look out for it.  For $300 I would have bought it – but $600 – nah !  I can afford it – but I don’t want to spend that amount of money.  But it was a really nice desk – maybe when all my children are grown up and finished college – then I would purchase something like that.

But I do love how it looks – but for now – I have to buy stuff for my kids first – I guess that’s what being a mother is all about – for now I will just admire it.

Last weekend we had a BBQ and since the weather is nice yesterday – we decided to have another.   Our BBQ haven’t seized burning since lunch – and I’m happy to say that we have had neighbors and friends drop in for a chicken wing, hot dogs and/or a drink.  But what they loved most were my local Asian cuisine.

A friend made a huge pot of chicken curry with potatoes and you can imagine my delight and everyone’s – of course, you will be seeing me with my blackheads popping out really soon hahah! but worth it – after all – what are blackhead removal for right?  Eat first and suffer later!

Spicy mango salad – yums!  but bad for the skin – but we loved it!

And lots of bbq satay of course with peanut sauce – yes ! yes!  i hear yer – not good for the skin – but we loved our satay too!  can’t get enough of it.  You only lived once and if you have good blackhead removals like I do – you won’t worry no more – even the kids were all excited about eating satay.

Tulips are hard to find during this time of the year – but a friend has a hot house and grew some for his wife  and sent me some when he was in town.  Very nice eh – so I quickly have it put them in the living room – so that we can all enjoy the tulips.  How many of you love tulips like myself?

My oldest is going to Montreal – Quebec with her class this year – and like all moms – we want her to travel smart and also protect her modesty.  So when I saw these eco friendly laundry and lingerie bag on Etsy – guess who went out to get some for her kid.  Yes – at only $15 !  hand embroidery – isn’t it pretty – the oldest daughter loved it so much – and the youngest wanted some for herself – and I told her  only when she goes traveling with her class in the next few years.   So if you have daughters who are going camping – or traveling with her class – you have to get it for her.  And great for Christmas gifts too.