Describe this word to me: Home

My take: A place where you can be your true-self and just so comfortable in your own skin. It can be a group of friends, it can be your significant other, it can literally be your house with your dogs making continuous mess.

But it surely is the only place you want to be when things are good, and most especially when things are bad.

What's yours definition?

PS: Merry Christmas and Happy 2017!

My Christmas present from myself (ha!) It gives me mood swings alright.

Grateful Heart for 2015

As it is, in a speed of a bullet, time flies.

For the next weeks before entering 2016, I will be taking time to reflect, evaluate and mostly to be thankful.

Especially for below...

1. Always and forever will thank God for my health. Two years ago, I started running and gradually increasing my kilometers and speed up my time every month. Since last June, I added boot camp to the menu. It is a combination of cross fit, circuit, tabata and pyramid training that rotates to build your muscle and develop your core strength. It is painful. And I almost gave up on it for so many times. But I did not. Running influence my mood in a good way whilst Boot camp helps me to stay motivated. The combo of both somehow has a magical power to help me focus even more at work and in other projects I have. 
2. Marilyn and Mahoni, my girls. My good side, my remedy, my daily dose of happiness and my strength. I do not need to say more. 
3. My siblings and my Mom who continue to make me feel appreciated and needed. Not because I have it all figured out (because I don't), but simply because we are family. 
4. The past year with the company I am working for has been great too, praise the Lord. May I continue to shine His work through me.
5. Friends I have lost and gained. You have taught me a lot about growing. "Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop."- Rumi. It's just that simple. 
6. I finally re painted my washed out house, built a simple kitchen cabinet in my alfresco dining area and a floor to ceiling closet in my room. I keep making a big deal about it as it really is a big thing for me. For I still remember the days I prayed for the things I have now. So again, thank you God.

Home is where the heart is (part 2)

Well hello!
Just want give a quick update on the house progress... haha! Ya, I have moved in, hence the inconsistency of blogging the past days. It is not a pretty house to live in just yet but I am working on it. The garden will need to wait for another month or two (eeks!) since apparently it cost a fortune. Surprise surprise.

If you have purchased a house through a developer, you may understand that the house did not come with a fence. I had to come up with extra fund for that. So, practicing a serious cost cutting budgeted life is what took me to this first picture below:

I decided to move the -originally was prepared in the middle of the front yard-garage to another side. The next picture is taken just a few days ago when I had (and loved) to be the lady chief to these kind workers. I am so lucky to have found a very cooperative contractors.

Since I do not have all my books here in Bali, shipping them soon from Jakarta is in the agenda. This is just a snap shot of my eye-candy shelf (most of the furniture will be using the same wood material; white-washed oak)
ps: That Sylvia Plath frame is actually an article about her taken from International Herald. Way to safe more dimes eh?

And, the semi-outdoor kitchen! I am still thinking of ways to design them and have actually picked the dining table and chairs. You cannot really see it but the floor and the kitchen walls are made out of granites tiles. They were expensive... but I got them at this crazy sale at a house depo. From Rp300,000 per box (contains of 5 pieces of 60*60 tiles), down to Rp100,000 per box.
Yes, that's Solikhin the real chief worker.

Tea Towels for Kitchen

Since my casa is a bit too...ahem, petite... I am moving the kitchen outside to be a semi-outdoor one. It will have a view to this empty land with tall trees underneath a blue-sky backdrop. I cannot show you the picture now since it is still being built:). Let's wait for a week or two for that, will you?

However, I could not stop thinking about how am I going to give signature touch to it. Great artwork are way beyond what I can afford of at this moment, so here's a good time where creative juices can come in handy!

What do you think of tea towels? They are chic and simple and give a quirky vibe to a kitchen decor, and making it less boring. Cheap too! I have been eyeing on them and thinking about getting a few to then frame them... :)

ps: this one is best for living room foyer, don't you think?

Etsy

Etsy

Home is where the heart is (part.1)

Few months have gone by since I share you the dream house story. I remember promising the updates on the development, but in between work, sleepless nights, daily routines and what not (not to mention being hospitalized during the holidays), I have missed doing so.

If you are planning to buy a house or in the middle of building one, always be prepared with:  

Extra budget. Because you know... you just have to have that particular door panel, or that drifted wood window frames, and oh... that granite for your kitchen floor that suddenly looks better if you move it to the backyard to become a semi-outdoor one... :)

Understanding with delays in time. Always allow at least 1 extra month from the readiness scheduled . If it's a ready unit, it should not take that much of time. In my case, it started from an empty land. When I was told it will take no more than 3 months, I know it may take the developer and the contractor longer than that. It's true. But I am not that upset. I can understand.

Another thing, never compromise on what you think is the most important part of the house. For me, it's the backyard and the location. So even expanding the building can be tempting, I stick to my first plan. Small house, huge backyard. 

Same goes to location. Other house may seem cheaper but good location can be priceless.

In general, everything seems to be at its place and I keep thanking God for his endearing blessings.

For without Him, there is no way I would ever be able to post this kind of picture below...