Today, I want to talk about the wonderful world of knitting and why it's a journey that's worth embarking upon. Now, let's be honest from the start - knitting is not for everyone. The beginning of your knitting adventure might not be a breeze, and that's okay. But I promise you, if you stick with it, the rewards are truly worth it.
đ First and foremost, knitting is addictive in the best possible way. Once you start exploring different patterns, textures, and colors, it becomes a captivating and fulfilling experience. The rhythmic motion of the needles and the soft yarn running through your fingers create a mesmerizing harmony. It's like creating art with every stitch.
đź Additionally, knitting has an incredible ability to calm your mind and help you unwind after a long and exhausting day. As you immerse yourself in the repetitive motion, your thoughts gradually settle, and a sense of tranquility washes over you. It's a therapeutic practice that allows you to find solace and peace in the midst of life's hustle and bustle.
 đ Remember, the key to becoming a skilled knitter lies in perseverance and patience. Like any skill, it takes time and practice to master the art of knitting. But fear not, for every stitch you learn brings you closer to creating beautiful garments and heartfelt gifts for yourself and your loved ones.
đ So, if you're contemplating whether to embark on this knitting journey, I encourage you to give it a try. Embrace the challenges that come with learning something new, and trust that the satisfaction you'll gain from your knitting accomplishments will far outweigh the initial difficulties.
đş Join the knitting community, discover online resources, and connect with fellow knitters who share your passion. There's a vast and supportive network of individuals ready to lend a helping hand and inspire you along the way.
đ So pick up those needles, choose a ball of yarn that speaks to your soul, and get ready to embark on an adventure that combines creativity, relaxation, and self-expression. Let knitting be your sanctuary, a place where you can find joy and respite from the demands of everyday life.
đ Happy knitting, my friends! May your stitches be even, your yarn be tangle-free, and your heart be filled with warmth and contentment. Remember, every stitch tells a story, and yours is waiting to be woven into a beautiful masterpiece. â¨đ§śâ¨
]]>During our knitting sessions we are joined by people who suffer from burnout, anxiety and even depression, and every one of them is adamant about the benefits they feel after knitting. Of course, even people who are naturally relaxed should start knitting, since it helps with lowering blood pressure, increase motor functions and focusing skills.
While knitting, I have met plenty of women, from all walks of life, who I have befriended and from whom I have learned a great deal. My ultimate goal for the Knitting Place is for it to become the top place where knitters gather, create and design their own knitwear. I envision it as a place where knitters will pridefully show off their creations. In the near future, we shall have Wine & Knit and Dine & Knit events, where we will be waiting for all of you, knitting enthusiasts.
For those of you who have been on this journey since 2022, I thank you deeply for being such a major part of the Knitting Place community. For those who have just joined us, you will be amazed by all that you will gain by joining our ever-growing knitting community so letâs enjoy this]]>Instead of our traditional hotpot dinner, this year we decided to have a potluck. Everyone will be gathering after leaving work at 6 PM, especially since we donât have the time for a regular hotpot.
Thankfully, one thing stays unchanged each year â my auntâs signature Dry Laska. I only get to savor it once a year, so I will make it a priority to cut down on other things just to make enough room for this deliciousness. Â
]]>Seniors should also be encouraged to join a knitting class, so that they could interact and socialize. Their sense of loneliness and isolation will definitely reduce and this will offer them a sense of joyfulness.
For degenerative disease, which increase in number every year for seniors everywhere around the globe, knitting comes with real benefits. For diseases such as Parkinson, the uncontrolled and repetitive movements, that can become exhausting, are alleviated, as well, as the mind is given more happiness. Knitting is also important for delaying the onset of dementia, another common health issue for our seniors.
In the end, knitting unites and bonds people with the same hobby and portrays a world of creativity, fun and acceptance of oneâs self because of its uniqueness and undeniable beauty!Â
]]>But you know how one starts to appreciate things once they donât have them anymore? I have reached a point in my life where I miss those days, especially since I donât live with my family in the same house. I started cherishing family dinners to a whole new level and I am always looking forward to spending our time together, even though there are some disagreements still.
As I am getting older, I started thinking more about my parentsâ age and this is a frightening feeling for me. I try my best to see them more often and organize family gatherings and activities. Since memories are the most precious treasures a person can have, I am adamant about collecting plenty of them.
One family event I am so excited about is this yearâs family photoshoot. We will all be wearing matching knittings which I did myself and we will take photos as the loving and supportive family that we are!
I canât wait to see the end result and frame some of the photos!
]]>Each year, on August 9th, celebrations and festivities are in full bloom. Independent from Malaysia starting from 1965, Singapore has evolved at a speeding light and has proven its unique and invaluable culture.
Every year, the mesmerizing display of parades, fireworks and artistic performances gather enormous audiences that commemorate our countryâs glorious past and hope for a marvelous outlook on the future.
 And to share a fun fact that is defining for our country, the name Singapore means The Lion City. Deriving from the Malay words, `Singa`- means `lion` and `-Pura` means `the city`.
Happy 57th Birthday, Singapore!
]]>But Iâm glad I didnât!
And this is all thanks to the people that always encouraged me to not give up on my dreams and my hard work. I invested a lot of passion, commitment and dedication to this project and I now realize that it has become such a meaningful part of me. Giving up on it would mean refusing to follow my intuition and my aspirations, simply because I encountered some bumps in the road.
Now I know that these obstacles, no matter how big or scary they may seem, are only there to push you beyond your limits, to achieve your goals and to reach far beyond what you would have ever imagined.
Every day I make the conscious decision to continue with this knitting business project of mine and, honestly, I couldnât be prouder of what Iâve achieved thus far.
More often than not, hard times forge amazing horizons for us.
]]>Even though I might not be the best daughter in the world and I canât find the perfect words for this, I know that they are from the bottom of my heart.
I already apologized for so many times, that the word `Sorry` doesnât mean anything anymore. But I will do it once again.
I am so sorry for all of the times that I was the black sheep of the family and for consistently giving you a hard time, leaving you worried and having to solve my problems.
My appreciation wasnât high enough for all that you did and still do for our family. Even to this day, you put up and tolerate my nonsense and frustration after Iâve had a hard day at work.
Thank you so much for being so supportive of my ideas and of my knitting business. Please donât think that I donât perceive all of your guidance and hype. It really helps me move further in my professional life.
In the end, I want to thank you for the most important part of my life â taking so much care of my son. I know the apple doesnât fall far from the tree and that he most probably is giving you a hard time sometimes, but I am so grateful for you, for how patient and understanding you are with all of us.
Happy birthday, dad!
Love,
Your daughter
]]>Oh, how time flies! It was only yesterday that you were born and it became the best day of my entire life. I truly didnât know what unconditional love is, until you were in my arms, my darling boy!
And if I thought that time has already flown by so fast, as you enter your teen hood, itâs as if it comprises. You have grown into your own person, with a wonderful heart and a free spirit. What I appreciate the most about you, is how you always want to help others, that you are kind and empathic and that you only wish the best for everyone.
I know that as you grow older your perceptions and ideas might change and even though we donât always see things eye to eye, I couldnât be prouder of the young gentleman that you have become. Â
Just know that mommy will always be by your side, to guide and support you, and you can confide in me anytime you want. I am truly privileged to have a son like you that teaches me patience, compassion and dedication each day.
Thank you for making me your mommy, I love you forever!
Happy birthday, my baby boy!
]]>On this special day, I would like to dedicate this post to my dad - my sonâs grandfather.
Ever since 13 years ago, when life blessed me with my amazing son, my father has been taking care of my child with a pure heart. He didnât complain once about any difficulty and he even gave up on his social life to make sure that my son receives the best possible attention and care that there is.
He is so generous and loving, that he has never asked for anything in return. He relies on a simple lifestyle and he is truly dedicated to my son. I truly donât know what I would have done without him. For sure, I would have tried my best, but this help made the biggest difference in raising my son into the young man that he is today.
My dad is so honest, he stands by his words and his actions. And even though he is a man of few words and I didnât receive a big amount of affection as I grew up, as we didnât verbally express our love for one another as often as we should have, he is one of my biggest blessings. Itâs the little things that he does for the family that show how much he cares about us.
And for this, I am forever thankful to him!
]]>My journey as an entrepreneur begun as I was searching for an answer to an ever-present questions that I had â `How can I be a better mother and when is my light going to final shine the brightest?`
I found my drive to having my own business into my desire to provide to him the best possible life that I could, as a full-time working mother. What amazed me was that the answer was right in front of me: I combined my passion for knitting with my imaginative side and this is how House of Pumpkin came to light.
During this process, I had to face a lot of hurdles, but my willing to prove to myself and to my son that when you truly work and wish for something you can achieve it, triumphedover every impediment that I had.
Today, one of the biggest joys that this business offers me is the bonding time I get to share with my son. Also, as a woman, I realized that this business gave me the confidence that I needed. It was finally that stepping stone in my personal growth that I was longing for. It enriched me with courage, resilience and it proved me that if I believe in my vision, I shouldnât take `no` for an answer.
This business gifted me the cadence I need in my life, so that I could become a better mother and a fulfilled human being.
So pleased to be part of this inspiring campaign with the women entrepreneurs of @cribsociety in partnership with @senreve. Read more stories here #CribXSenreve
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]]>Being a mother is no easy task. You juggle a lot of activities and you wear a lot of hats, walk in a lot of shoes and try to keep your head on top of the water at the of the day to catch a breath for yourself. This is especially harder if you are a single mother. Also, being a single mother to a teenage boy doesnât help very much either, does it? It is a pulling moment type of situation every single day, to be completely honest with you.
Of course, as no one is perfect, nor am I. I might not have put in 110% towards being the best mother every day. And I donât even know if thatâs even possible. Society has a way of adding unnecessary pressure towards women and mothers and make them feel guilty if they donât come perfect at the end of every day.
However, the best reward is the love my son and I have for each other. I am proud of the person he is becoming and I know he always has his best intentions at heart. I hope one day he will understand how much love I have for him!
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However, the tough reality is that parents have their own struggles to deal with and, with their busy schedules trying to juggle as many hats as possible, we barely see our children every day as much as we would like to. And in this lengthy process, they grow up and form their own personalities, preferences and dislikes.
They become unique individuals who have their own thoughts, feelings and who act accordingly to their beliefs. For them, parents become the authority figures who appear to only know how to set high standards and impossible expectations, without knowing if the child met any hurdles along the way.
And this is where frustration and miscommunication come into the limelight. On both sides, there is a skewed perception of the otherâs lack of cooperation or unwillingness to come to terms. Parents tend to believe that the children are rebellious or misbehaving on purpose, but have we really put in the effort to walk a mile in their shoes? Imagine trying to understand and discover this big world and constantly having someone in your ear nagging you about how you should become a high achiever. It is not too pleasant, is it?
So, one question arises in all of this gray situation â do we really understand our children or do we start any argument having in mind that we always know it best?
Itâs been 15 years now, since I first met this outstanding woman. It all started at work and I remember that the very first time I saw, I felt such a deep hate, it was despicable. However, I canât pinpoint the exact reason why I felt that. I mustâve been judging her without actually knowing her.
Now, thinking back, I canât even remember in what circumstance we actually became friends. This is hilarious!
During these 15 years of true, devoted and meaningful friendship, I was lucky enough to get to know her real self and she is so beautiful inside and out!
Sadly, we donât meet as much as we would love to, since weâre both full time working mothers and our schedules clash most of the time. However, if Iâm lucky, I usually get to meet her once or twice a year, but I would really love for this to change for the better and meet more often.
I will admit that there are times when I definitely think that I find excuses for myself for not putting in the extra effort to meet her more often. Or maybe I do this because she has this incredible ability to see right through me and read me like a book. She has truly become my walking conscience. I canât even think to tell her a lie because she spots it from a mile away!
There were many times when I couldnât deliver her the knitwear I promised I would, due to a thousand reasons. And even though Iâm not sure if sheâs disappointed in me or not, she never fails to be supportive and understanding. She has such a big heart and is so selfless! Every time I need help forthe kids models, she never hesitates to step in. She is always available to talk or answer any of my questions, the best she can. We could talk for hours and not get bored by each other.
Sometimes I take a trip down the guilt lane and I wonder if I donât somehow take her for granted, because she is so kind and thoughtful. Nevertheless, I am utterly grateful for all of the happy and tough moments we shared together and I am blessed to have her as my friend.
Happy belated birthday and Happy Motherâs Day, my darling friend!
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Happy Birthday, My Love!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such an amazing partner! Thank you for being always by my side for all the ups and downs and for tolerating my nonsense which I am working to get rid off.
I am truly grateful for you! You always amaze me and I look up to you for so many reasons! I know I can rely on you and please know that you can always confide in me, as I will always be by your side to cheer you on!
Love You.
Â
Finally, the clock stroke 12 and it made it real â this is how I was going to celebrate my birthday.
Two days ago, my test for Covid-19 came back positiveâŚsuch a bummer. I feel like being sick has some different levels of hardship: being sick is already bad on its own, being sick and alone definitely raises the bar, BUT being sick and alone on your actual birthday is by far the worst!
This was the first time in all of my 35 years of existence when I celebrated my birthday all by myself and it made be more introspective. I reflected more on my life, my choices, what got me in the place that I at right now and how I should always strive to improve myself for me and for the loved ones surrounding me.
Also, this is the moment that reveals who your true friends are, who you can rely on and who is there just for the show.
Covid made me more independent and it showed me how strong I am, because when hardship bangs on your door, you can only rely on yourself!
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