A few things that I'm grateful for in 2019:

1. Family and friends - As cliche as it sounds, it was one of my goals for 2019 to spend as much time with them. I felt like I was making up for lost time in the previous years that I took them for granted. But this year I can say that I definitely achieved that goal. I went to every family/friend occasion and would consistently make plans. It made me realise how lucky I am to have them in my life. I found this quote on pinterest 'you fall in love with the people who make you love the person you are when you're around them', they bring out the best in me and I love how I feel after spending a day with them. So here's a little reminder: appreciate those who love you.
   
   
2. Knowing my worth - I struggled for years with this but when I look back, I can see how much I've grown. Back then I would settle for the worst because I didn't know what I deserved. After encountering a few people this year, I knew what I wanted and what I would settle for and so I would walk away from anything that wasn't good for me. Despite making a few silly mistakes, I'm proud of how strong I am and how far I've come in terms of self-love. But loving myself will always be a work in progress and I am willing to learn as much as I can about myself along the way.
   
   
3. Meeting new people - Stepping into a new work environment I met a bunch of beautiful people who I am forever grateful for. I've never met a team that is so kind, caring and brings out the best in me. I think they made me a better person and they made the idea of coming into work fun!
   
   
4. Appreciating myself physically - I wouldn't say I'm the type of person with a lot of self-confidence and I hardly ever compliment myself. But this year, I've learnt to appreciate my natural 'beauty' by doing less (little to no makeup, having my hair natural etc.) and it actually feels good. Not to sound vain or anything, but once you learn to stop picking at your flaws and just appreciating them you'll see yourself differently and it projects to how others see you. So smile because you're beautiful! 

Much love, Jen.

Current mindset

I've honestly cut out people who don't bring any value to my life. I have zero patience for time-wasters or people who make me feel less than I deserve (not saying that there's a lot of people making me feel that way) but every now and then you come across them.

Life has been sweet ever since I've adopted this mindset. Stay focused and keep on growing. Effort pays off in the time :) Just felt like having a little vent, enjoy the long weekend my loves.

Much love,  Jen.

Design Studio 1

The first semester of studying interior design done and dusted! Although I only did one subject this semester, it was nice and refreshing to be studying something I actually enjoy. I didn't dread doing assignments, it was more so exciting! I loved being able to think creatively and to feel a sense of achievement after finishing the final product. Assessment one and two required us to manipulate and experiment with four different types of materials: paper, plastic, wood and fabric. For assessment three, we were able to choose the materials we want to use for our final sculpture. I decided to use fabric and wood. The inspiration behind this model came from re-creating my favourite piece of furniture and how it makes me feel. 

The story behind my final product represents a minimalistic and elegant bedroom space. Many people tend to clean when they’re stressed and sometimes having fewer things can make you feel more at ease and relaxed. Therefore, I decided to keep it very minimal with white crisp bed sheets and a decorative plant to bring life to the room. I wanted to capture the idea of a soft, cozy and warm bed that makes you want to fall into a deep sleep. The colour palette I used such as the light baby blue for the headboard and the white bed sheets symbolises this story.

I'm quite proud with how it turned out, considering I only had two weeks to create it. Design studio was a great start to the semester and having a wonderful tutor was a bonus. I'm a bit nervous for next semester as I'll be taking four subjects and I'm not sure what to expect, but I hope I continue to love it. I thought I'd document the process of studying (again) and compare the difference to how I felt before.

Hope you have all had a lovely autumn, stay warm this winter!

Much love, Jen.