Browsing Tag

thailand

Design Your Life

Minimalism vs Hoarding and Decadent Interior

09/24/2009

If I could just… if this was.. it still doesn’t *feel* right!

I’m often finding myself stuck when designing new layouts for Miseducated — it started so collage heavy as I was using tons and tons of popular icons.. then I started seeing the collage thing EVERYWHERE and it was feeling cluttered so I obviously cut it down… :p I always feel that deconstructing and ridding of any excess is a positive thing.

Now why is this?

My room was very cluttered as a child and I hoped for a day when I would have my own modern, minimalist house.

As you can see my minimalism kind of lost the battle with whimsical nonsense and fantasy candylands. Obviously I find my *greatest* satisfaction in cuteness, well-designed, minimal yet colorful homes (Jeu de Paumes went RIGHT UP my alley, didn’t they yours? ^_~).

.. but is deleting and deconstructing making it better really? Is it just my fucked up sense of things?

I *know* hoarding isn’t healthy, it’s very hard to overcome like any addiction… so does that mean that minimalism is the goal? We simply *must* know! I’m very familiar with hoarding regarding my own life and have studied it extensively in my obsession with psychology and helping myself and those around me.

(… and while we’re at it, why do you *insist* on using asterisks *everywhere*?!

Because I often despise italics, use bold for other things and have a strange need to use the only flower on my keyboard over and over and over! As well as inserting random thoughts that have no relevance to the subject at hand –if anything this NEGATES minimalism–because of course, I am a crazy rambler. With all positives come negatives. ^_~)

Hoarding

Hoarding is the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them.
Hoarding, also called compulsive hoarding and compulsive hoarding syndrome, can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
People who hoard often don’t see it as a problem, making treatment challenging.
Mayo Clinic

Minimalism

A twentieth century art movement and style stressing the idea of reducing a work of art to the minimum number of colors, values, shapes, lines and textures. – ArtLex

Funny thing is.. minimalism is many times regarded as ‘rejective art’ and I think of it as ‘perfective’ art — it’s a very tough thing to master correctly — it can be done both very right and very wrong.

A minimal lifestyle… now that’s exactly what I admire. When applying the rules of minimalism to your life and home it helps a lot if you’re moving (I was) or organizing absolutely everything — it’s good to do yearly (*spring*cleaning)!

1. Evaluate your possessions that sit on shelves.
2. Find a place for everything.
3. Enjoy what you have.
Christian PF

Zakka

Another design movement, but in Japan. Generally means improving your environment and seeing beauty in the mundane.

When I see zakka it reminds me almost of a minimalist cuteness and innocence, it is completed with the sweet kitschy illustrations and/or designs that are *just enough* to add color and sweetness into the room. It’s very natural and inspired by country lifestyle.

Which lifestyle do you lean towards? 😉

Gallery

Merci: Landscape Online, Momoy, Christopher Coleman, Elidur, Homepic, SoSuperSam, BKK Home, Zakka Candy

Visual Splendor

All About Tea and Tea Time Talk

04/04/2009

There’s nothing that fills my beating heart with as much happiness as a steamy cup of hot tea and the soft pages of a new book. Lucky for me, tea comes in a multitude of flavors, styles and pretty little boxes, all the more reason to spend hours admiring my options in the tea aisle of my local grocery.

Now, I’ve tried a variety of teas in my day, from strawberry iced goodness to chocolate-lovers delight. All have proven to be extraordinary! So, you can imagine my delight when I discovered the positive, health benefits associated with sipping the delicious beverage! And, imagine my double delight as I discovered that each kind of tea has its own benefits to boast! Let me share:

tea time talk

Rooibos (or Red Bush) Tea

This red tea comes from Africa and can do a body good. It is a pure tea, meaning there are no additives, and it helps slow the aging process. This non-caffeinated tea is great to drink before bedtime because it helps with insomnia, headaches, nausea and heartburn!

Herbal Tea

One of the best things about herbal tea is that you can drink it before bedtime (or if you just want to refrain from caffeine in general).

One of the most popular herbal tea’s is world-approved Chamomile. There’s a reason your mother served you chamomile before you laid your sleepy head to rest. One of its most obvious effects is that it is a muscle relaxant! It also helps with skin issues (from rashes to burns to irritation to acne) and fights off all kinds of unwanted illnesses and diseases. Not to mention it smells heavenly…

Anyway, some other great herbal tea’s include: Ginseng (Chinese, cures just about everything just as its name implies: “all heal.”), Ginger (helps with motion sickness/nausea/indigestion), Peppermint (muscle relaxer, stomach cramps, freshens breath), Cinnamon (lowers cholesterol/blood sugar),

Black Tea

I enjoy a Black tea to help wake me up in the morning. I appreciate how stable my body is throughout the day after a hot cup, as opposed to the high and low I get with coffee. Black tea is especially great for cardiovascular issues and is rich in antioxidants and cancer-fighting agents. According to TeaBenefits.com, “Recent studies in leading medical journals declare black tea a potential heart tonic, cancer blocker, fat buster, immune stimulant, arthritis soother, virus fighter and cholesterol detoxifier.”

Some great Black tea’s to try include: Darjeeling and Nilgiri (both from India), Yunnan (Chinese) and Keemun (also from China).

Green Tea

Green tea is famous for its beneficial effects, so it should come as no surprise when I tell you it’s probably the healthiest kind of tea for you! In fact, it’s commonly believed that by drinking more green tea you can increase your longevity and lead a happier life. So what, exactly, are the great benefits? Let me get you started.

Green tea is linked with weight loss, reduces the risk of all types of cancers and lowers cholesterol levels. In addition, it prevents/helps rheumatoid arthritis, infections and inhibits blood clots! All because of a very powerful antioxidant called EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) that stops cancer cells from growing (by killing them), all the while nurturing healthy body tissues. Sweet!

TIP #1: Let your tea bag, or tea strainer for loose tea, steep for at least 3-6 minutes in order to get the most out of it (taste wise and health wise).

TIP #2: Add a slice of lemon to your tea and be amazed as your headache eases (or even melts away completely).