a little kyurii a day

a poem from Tsongkhapa

2011-01-29T22:47:00.005+08:00

"If... you knew how hard it is to acquire,
Living the average life would be impossible.

If you saw its great benefits,
You would be sorry if it stayed meaningless.

If you thought about death,
You would make preparations for your future lives.

If you thought about cause and effect,
You would stop being reckless."

this poem really speaks to me. it is really quite impossible for me to live the average life now. i sometimes joke to close friends that i am leading 'half an ani (meaning nun in tibetan) life' now (still very much attached to my long beautiful hair... oops not shy.. hahaha). joking joking... a modern yogini's life maybe...

next tues i am leaving for nepal to take my first year thangka exam!! oh girls wish me luck... i have learnt everything i need to learn for the exam, which consist of: 8 items (leaf, bud, lotus, 2 types of clouds, fire, decorative pattern, and draping) plus 3 Buddhas (one close-up face, one full body meditation position without robes, one with robes). the most difficult one would be Buddha without robes, thats when the teachers can check to see if you get all your measurements right, and the proportions accurate. ooh... just writing about it, i feel nervous... last night i even dreamt that i took exam and drew the wrong thing, and i forgot to bring my most important ruler or something! haha... this is one of the final-year exam pieces (6th year exam). right now, my exam is only on pencil lining. no need to colour. phew....

i am going to use 30 days to get into the peak of 'meditative-drawing' mode, haha and sit for exam before tibetan new year (which is 5 Mar) then i will leave for delhi to attend Geshe-la's teaching and then straight to Dharamsala to learn tibetan. this trip i will try to stay there for at least 2 months. i have 1.5K sin to survive for 2 months in dharamsala. it would be a challenge. i have made all contacts with my tibetan friends to see if i can bunk in with any family, or friends at a very very cheap rate.

i am also looking to stay at dolma ling nunnery near gyuto tantric college. with a quiet place, i hope to do at least my first serious 10-day retreat, to start my 'ngondro' (preliminary practises) to kick off the inner preliminaries which consists:

1. taking of refuge in the three roots in conjunction with the performance of 100,000 prostrations (purifying pride)
2. cultivation of bodhicitta (purifying jealousy). In some formulations this is included under 1.
3. 100,000 recitations of Vajrasattva's hundred-syllable mantra (purifying hatred/aversion)
4. 100,000 mandala offerings (purifying attachment)
5. 100,000 guru yoga practices (purifying delusion)

sounds very technical? haha... its ok. i hope to complete the above list within 3 years. maybe this time i will start with prostrations and recitations first. i will have to consult my teachers first. any serious retreat should be done under the guidance of teachers.

OK! let me go pack my small luggage, its filled with instant noodles x15 pack, beehoon x10, tea bags, coffee packs, seaweed, soya sauce (the light sauce in nepal and india tastes wierd), my father's home-made chilli, mini cooking pot, haha.. my mom said this time i looked like i am 'zou nan' (walking disaster), i am a very tight budget, quite fun yeah! haha....

something to invoke in-depth thinking

2011-01-26T21:48:00.012+08:00

''Most of us are afraid to be alone. Do we ever go out for a walk alone? Very rarely. We always want somebody to go with us because we want to chatter, we want to tell somebody a story, we are all the time talking, talking, talking; so we are never alone, are we? When one grows older and can go for a walk alone, one discovers a great many things. One discovers one's own ways of thinking, and then one begins to observe all the things about one - the beggar, the stupid man, the clever man, the rich and the poor; one becomes aware of the trees, the birds, the light on a leaf. You will see all this when you go out alone. In being alone you will soon find out that you are afraid. And it is because we are afraid that we have invented this thing called religion.... '' read more

i used to read a lot on j.krishnamurti. and guess what? yesterday my teacher emailed to say that he will be giving a talk on 'J. Krishnamurti:You are the World. Education and Secular Ethics at Delhi University on the 9 and 10Mar. i am thrilled... i wonder if he will be speaking from buddhist point of view or in a non-secular way. anyway i really look forward to attending.

i remembered how i was exploring on my own spiritual path vigorously (especially in the last 3 years). and in 2009, i narrowed my search (of zhuang zi tao-ism to hinduism to jainism to carl jung to darwin to osho to sri ramana maharshi) down to the final two: J.Krishnamurti (no religion) and HH Dalai Lama (tibetan buddhism) as the last 2 contenders to take me on the journey. haha..... so it would be extremely interesting for me to listen to Geshe-la speak on J.Krishnamurti.

this is taken during the last night of the Kagyu Monlam, light offering. it was exceptionally moving chanting with so many people from all over the world. may the light of wisdom be instilled in all sentient beings.

hello i am back!

2011-01-14T12:16:00.022+08:00

hello girls! how is everyone? sorry i have not been writing becos the lifestyle in nepal and india really doesnt promote the internet. haha.. whenever i am there, i just dun feel like using the internet. i use only to check my emails like once a week. we have received many emails asking us about kyurii. we also miss interacting with you girls. thank you so much for your care and concern. we are deeply appreciative of it.

so yes, now i am in singapore after spending 40 days in bodhgaya, india. the holy place where Buddha was enlightened. this is the mahabodhi temple, literally meaning 'great awakening temple'.
'A Bodhi Tree is to the back of the temple and between the Bodhi Tree and the temple is the 'diamond throne' where the Buddha attained enlightenment.' this is the bodhi tree!! this is taken about 6am in the morning, last week in bodhgaya it was extremely cold and very foggy throughout the morning.
this is the Buddha statue in the inner temple. it is truly very special. the moment one sees the statue, its as if all thoughts are silenced. one can only bow in respect and pray for blessings on behalf of all sentient beings.
this is the spot where Buddha was enlightened.

ok i went there to attend the KAGYU MONLAM aspirational prayer for world peace led by HH the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. besides the continuous 8 day prayers, i also attended HH Karmapa's 3 day teaching on 'Atisha's The Lamp to the Path of Enlightenment', a text that has greatly inspired me. after that, i attended Mingyur Rinpoche's meditation class 'Joy of Living' which has been truly beneficial to my daily life. Mingyur Rinpoche will be coming to singapore next month, those who are interested to attend some of the public talks, find out more here. highly recommended, Rinpoche's method of teaching meditation is very practical and across all religions. the other highlight of this trip is definitely attending my own teacher, Geshe Dorji Damdul's teaching on Nagarjuna's Fundamental to the Middle Way. Nagarjuna (150–250 CE) is one of the most important and influential Indian philosopher who founded the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. it was an intensive 7 day course held at the root institute, a beautiful place for anyone who is interested in a retreat. here is meixian and dave posing at root institute. to be able to start the new year by attending my teacher's teaching (from jan 1-7) is really a gift for me this year. and to be able to do koras with my teacher round the mahabodhi temple, sit under the bodhi tree to pray and meditate is a precious opportunity and one that is deeply inspiring. this photo taken in singapore last nov where Geshe la was teaching 'Heart Sutra' at tibetan buddhist center. the response was fantastic and therefore Geshe la (who is the english translator of HH The 14th Dalai Lama) has been invited again to come and teach in singapore very soon. oh this photo is taken before i left for the airport for bodhgaya. so obvious i teared... so touched by the kindness that our teacher showed towards us all. those who have met him will truly experience this.
bihar, the state which bodhgaya is located is the poorest state in india. this has to be the dirtiest place i have ever been so far on the globe. beggars everywhere sleeping on the streets in rows with thin blankets, with the cows, dogs, goats, chicken, wild boars rummaging through the pile of rubbish, little kids with fleas in their hair running around barefooted asking for money, holding onto your hands, following you relentlessly asking for biscuits with smiles on their faces until you reach the gates of the guesthouse,

handicapped beggars trying to catch your attention by swinging their broken leg across the dirty floor as they make their way towards you on their hands, these are all common sights. if not for these sentient beings, this trip wouldnt have been so impactful. my prayers wouldnt have been so strong.... the suffering that i see here makes me feel that no matter how tough we think our situation is, we are not alone. somewhere out there, there is someone with the same or even more intense level of sorrow, hurt, poverty, hunger, cold, homeless...

a trip to any third world country helps open up our narrow views directed only at our own suffering, however when we can simply think of millions out there in a situation much more adverse than our own, and try to put away that self-concern but instead extend that very same concern towards others, immediately our unhappiness will turn into a kind of courage and strength. whatever 'bad' situation we perceived ourselves to be in, will still be there. however now, we have the courage to go through it, with a heart full of love and compassion.

this basic goodness is what my teacher has been consistently showing us through his own actions in this one year that we know him. this genuine all-embracing affection and kindness which is becoming extinct in this fast developing city, is ironically what all of us are searching for and need most. let us try to keep it going. 'keep on going, never lose heart.' Geshe la always says. by the power of whatever little merit that is accumulated through this writing, may all sentient beings everywhere be free from fear and suffering and the causes of fear and sufferings and be quickly led to enlightenment.

second birthday spent in nepal

2010-10-04T15:05:00.014+08:00

my birthday was spent:
trying to sit under the bodhi tree to get enlightened!! and then rubbing Buddha Maitreya tummy in hope to find some sponsors for this 6 year course..... flera and i, 2 poor thangka students. we walked up to the surrounding hills to get away from the boudha crowd. and our favourite place has to be pullahari monastery, to look at the best wall painting in kathmandu. this is where we find most inspiration and peace.... slowly slowly.... we hope to become good thangka artists to help pass down the karma gadri style of thangka painting. in the evening, we walked back to boudha back to the big stupa just in time to join in the tibetan crowd for the daily kora. we did 7 rounds today and offered 3 butter lamps each. look! there are mandalas everywhere. the buddhas and bodhisattvas are all around us. it happened to be dakini day on my birthday this year. so many people are doing light offering. and this is my big special birthday cake. haha.. no i am kidding. this is shechen monastery all lighted up.
last oct was my first trip to the thangka school. its been a year since i know all my school mates. cant believe it! and every of my trip, i am so lucky to have the company of a lovely friend, first trip was marieke from netherlands. second was kim from hong kong, third was hazel also from hong kong and this trip is flera from latvia. all my thangka buddies whom that i love dearly. life is amazing.

NEW IN at www.kyurii.com!

2010-10-04T14:07:00.009+08:00

hi girls, we are currently featuring 'TIGER AND HARE' (from melbourne) on kyurii website. one of the creators of this beautiful series of accessories and baby jumpsuits is actually my ex-school mate, amanda. we studied design together. we are so happy to have them on our website. please check out their really cool stuff. i just heard that the flower brooch is sold out. you can see more of their items now at www.kyurii.com! you can also find 'TIGER AND HARE' on etsy.com too! really nice stuff!

2010-09-26T16:21:00.004+08:00

the most happening thing in boudha now must be the presense of HH Sakya Trinzin Rinpoche. HH is here for a month or so to give empowerments and conducting prayers. so last fri we 'skipped' school with our teacher, miss yangzom and went to attend the guru rinpoche empowerment. there were so many people, the whole of the tibetan community at boudha must be there. after the empowerment, all of us lined up to received blessings from HH.. omg... sardine packed... and the tibetans have no concept of queueing. it was a mess but a friendly one. everyone was pushing and smiling and laughing at the same time. haha.. what a pity. i didnt have a camera with me. this month must be the month of blessings for me. i received blessings from the head of the 3 out of the 4 main lineages of tibetan buddhism. HH Dalai Lama (gelup), HH Karmapa (kagyu) and now HH Sakya Trinzin Rinpoche (sakya). when it was my turn, i bow and looked up at him and he was smiling so warmly to me. oh... i feel so happy.

saturday was spent lazily. after school at about 11:30am, flera, my classmate and i went for lunch. she wants to tan her face. haha... funny how the westerners love the sun so much while we asians tend to sit in the shade. it feels so nice to just hang out and talk and do nothing....

5 days with my teacher

2010-09-23T20:17:00.006+08:00

hi girls, i am missing the days spent with Geshe la and also Sonam la. it was such a memorable trip. while i am having question and answer session with Geshe la at the dining table, dear Sonam la would be busy cooking away in the kitchen. so nice.... and its the best food i had during the entire trip.. nutritious home-cooked dinner for 2 nights in a row. Sonam la (left) is HH Dalai Lama's translator so he will be going to the states with HH this coming oct. Geshe la is one of Sonam la's teachers. and Geshe la had been HH Dalai Lama's translator for the past 5 years and is now teaching at delhi university. i met both during last year teaching in dharamsala where Geshe la was the translator and Sonam la was acting as his assistant.
after my friends left, everyday i go to Geshela's house breakfast at 7:30am (sonam la made bread, omelette and milk tea) on the rickshaw!
happily taking in the fresh morning air.... until it comes to the expressway!! then i start holding on tight and stop taking photos.. cant even smile... that huge bus! and we are actually going to cross the expressway to get to the other side.. phew.. safe and sound. dun tell my mom.. hee.. yeah! i am here. after breakfast, more private tuition or reading in geshe la's library then go to tibethouse for teaching (Geshe la gave a 5 day teaching on Buddhist Psychology). so interesting! i extended 2 more days in delhi to complete the class. and good news for friends in singapore, Geshe la has been invited to give a teaching in singapore later this year! i will update you when the dates are confirmed. this would be a fantastic opportunity.

happy birthday to miss tenzin yangkyi

2010-09-23T14:25:00.017+08:00

hello girls, how is everyone doing? yesterday was mid autumn festival, its also miss tenzin yangkyi's birthday. early morning she reminded me i have to go buy chocolates with her so that she can give it to her classmates and teachers. i pulled myself out of bed at 6:30am (so tough being a part time mom.. let alone a full time one with more than one kid), wash then we went to a nearby provision shop to buy them at 7am. shops here open really early.

after school, i went to collect the cake. tenzin yangkyi was so happy and she has 2 cakes! one more from noemi (a homestay girl from italy) but guess what? we both bought the same cake from the same cafe (saturday cafe which serves really nice organic cakes, muffins and stuff where foreigners like to frequent. the cakes from the local shops are so dry and hard). haha... here with miss tenzin's aunty. too bad uncle tenzin had some work and was late for the cake. haha so naughty, miss tenzin trying to get some cream on her mother's face. kids are so happy on their birthdays. she reminded me everyday since i arrived from hong kong, and then when i came back from delhi. 'suyin, my birthday 22 Sep.. 22 Sep.. 22 Sep' haha... and when uncle tenzin arrived, miss tenzin is already fast asleep... she always just 'passed out' after dinner. haha.. ooh.. i feel really tired. suddenly bombarded with school, taking care of my now 8yo 'daughter' who needs so much attention, working on kyurii during lunch break, trying to digest all the teachings i received over the last 2 weeks, trying to find some quiet time.... solitude is vital. i think i need to wake up earlier like 6am to have some time to practise before i step out of my room into miss tenzin's world. then to school at 8am till 5pm. then internet, or kora, then study, meditate a bit, evening prayers then go out and entertain miss tenzin yangkyi at 8pm. only at 8pm i shall come out of my room! a quality hour before dinner. haha.. by 9:30pm i should retreat into my room for a bit more study, chant then sleep at 11pm. oh i need to set up a strict routine. i skipped school this morning to catch up with my school homework and to reply emails.
ok now i am done with lunch and internet. going back to school at 1:30pm. see you girls later! dont forget that KYURII FINAL CLEARANCE SALE is going on now! DO NOT MISS IT!

Kyurii Final Clearance Sale

2010-09-21T13:45:00.002+08:00

hello girls! kyurii clearance sale is taking place now! we are trying to clear as much stocks as we can, so please give us your support.
the future is unknown. what we truly know now is only now. at this moment, we are not sure how we are taking kyurii to the future. whether kyurii will continue to exist or not. what is the next step for kyurii. neither me nor leekeng has an answer. however there are some new ideas we have in store for kyurii, to turn it into a fun 'marketplace' where we help you sell your things. it would be exciting! so any one of you have some things to sell, feel free to email us at: misskyurii@kyurii.com. and tell us all about it. we would love to see if we can feature your products on kyurii website.

so for now, please give us your fullest support at this final clearance sale! thank you so very much. love you all. big hug.

back in nepal from india

2010-09-19T13:11:00.011+08:00

tashi delek girls, after spending 7 days in dharamsala for HH Dalai Lama teaching and another 7 days in delhi with my teacher, Geshe Dorji Damdul, i am now back in kathmandu (arrived yesterday afternoon). it has been a most precious experience. beyond words. setting off in our 12 hr ride to dharamsala! beautiful sunset in dharamsala. after the teaching on the last day, there is usually a photo taking session. group by group. usually its a mad rush to be as near to HH as possible. this time, as our group is called, everyone seems to be still standing around (maybe they didnt hear the announcement). HH is already seated there so i just walked up slowly and gracefully (haha) and i got to kneel down besides HH for the the group photo. haha. so happy and HH held my hand. oh.... i feel so so fortunate. everything is happening so fast as there were like a dozen groups of like a few hundred people waiting for their turns. after the photographer snapped, i turned around and said a very soft 'tashi delek' to HH, he looked so kindly with a warm smile and nodded. the moment is so touching..... faith and i at Namgyal Monastery (HH Dalai Lama's monastery) the day after teaching. during teachings, we are not allowed to bring any cameras or handphones. the secruity check is very strict. during the stay in dharamsala, i also had 2 private audiences with the HH the Karmapa to talk about my thangka class and also, i needed some oral transmissions of some text and mantras. so again, i feel so fortunate. here i am in chuba with maggie, at Gyuto Tantric Monastic college (Karmapa's residence)

i feel so happy.. such joy that is beyond the normal pleasures. and the next 7 days in delhi with Geshe la, is incredible. Geshe la gave a 7 day teaching on 'mind psychology from buddhist point of view' at tibethouse in delhi. such perfect timing. more teaching for me. yeah!

and we are so fortunate to be accompanied by Sonam la (who is apprentice HH Dalai Lama's english translator, going on his first tour with HH later in oct to the US) whom we got to know last year. since he is also going to delhi for visa, we invited him to ride along with us to delhi.

following my teacher around, gave me the greatest opportunity to learn by simply watching how Geshe la interact with everyone whom he comes across with. from the auto (tuk tuk) driver, to someone serving him tea from the restuarant, to his students, to people he met for the first time, always with so much compassion. on the last night, i told Geshe la i feel so happy following him around. i felt like his attendant except that i am not in robes. he laughed saying that he is very happy to hear that. hahaha... being around my teacher for like 12 hours a day is something i truly cherish in this trip. i feel such tremendous joy and so many moments where i feel a natural spontaneous sense of compassion arising in me, just by experiencing his compassion to people around him. it is as though its being transmitted to me. so many moments i had to control my tears especially when listening to Geshe la talks about the bodhisattvas and being compassion with the glow in his eyes. even now as i am writing, the tears come. there is nothing more important for me to do now than to study and practise well.

whole body aching..

2010-08-31T17:58:00.003+08:00

hello girls... the weather in hk is again typhoony. so stuffy the air is so still. i am having running nose again. my packing is almost done. i hope my 3 luggages to nepal will not be charged for overweight, i am pretty sure they are overweight though. oh... 2 more days.. and i can be on the flight. then i can really relax.

oh my god.. my entire body feels like its coming apart... i duno what to write but to prompt you to check out KYURII SPECIAL LAST PC PROMTION last pcs are usually hot items, so you might like to take this chance to grab some!

ok i need to go and rest.. tomorrow is last day of running errands and meeting with some friends to discuss some new ideas on kyurii. i feel i have used up every cell of my mind and body...

a hot shower is what i need now. hope to get my energy back and some inspiring tunes! i have some kyurii work to do. goodnite girls.

wall painting

2010-08-30T23:02:00.010+08:00

today my friend posted some photos of my schoolmates painting in bodhgaya, india on facebook. looking at the photos, i wish i could join them, it would be good experience. a thangka artist needs to know how to paint on the wall too, besides painting on the cotton cloth. often, a thangka artist would be called upon to travel to places or countries where monasteries need wall painting. a wandering artist....
most of my schoolmates are now in bodhgaya painting our school monastery, shechen monastery there to get ready for the 100th anniversary of Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche at the end of this year. remember i was helping out at the opening ceremony in the beginning of the year. so now i pray hard that i am able to make it for the closing ceremony in dec. it is so therapeutic to just paint. it really allows our active monkey mind to rest. its a bit like knitting, you know.. rather hypnotic, you are doing something without using the analytical side of your mind. so relaxing for the mind, in a totally relaxed, calm, free state.
i have very fashion conscious schoolmates. haha.. like any design or art students, many of them are so trend conscious. long hair, hair bands, earrings, you name it. and anyone who has been to dharamsala would probably agree, that some tibetan guys are really good looking. they actually look like japanese guys, with their small slit eyes, lanky built. long hair. but too bad, i cant find any like that in my school. woah.... haha. will be on a look out next week when i am in dharamsala. must open my eyes big big. haha....

ok ok for now, i need to focus on kyurii work (some transformation going on which i will announce once its ready) and clearing up stuff. i dun understand why this packing seems to be endless. tomorrow has to be the last day. i just cant wait to get everything done.... and have just one thing in my mind: paint. now there is like a hundred things in my mind.

this little light of mine, i am going to let it shine!

2010-08-29T18:15:00.017+08:00

hello girls, i am back in hk now. 6 days just flew by.. but i am so happy this trip. i got many things done and most important of all, i got 100% support and encouragement from my family about the next 'phase' of my life - learning thangka and living from country to country without a 'permanent home' (except for singapore). 5mths in nepal, 3 mths in dharamsala, 2mths in hk and the other 2mths in singapore. it may sound daunting to some, especially my parents, i know they are somehow worried (of my 'wandering' life) but despite that, they are totally receptive and even show interest in what i choose to pursue. and being christians themselves, i truly appreciate my parents' open-mindedness about me being a tibetan buddhist and studying tibetan religious art. haha...

on a serious note, it had moved me deeply. it is really not easy to transform the attachment you have towards your kids and turn that into love. pure love that has no judgement, no criticism, no expectations, no comparison, no need to conform to social standards of what a daughter at my age should be doing. i am not even sure if i am capable of doing that to my kids.

it took me courage to walk on this path, one which is totally unique. we are all different from one another, in our own ways. therefore its only natural that we have the space and freedom to explore and discover what we are truly here for. however becos of certain social conditioning that were instilled by our parents and society and friends, from innocent unique babies, we are slowly, subtly, subconsciously moulded into adults leading mass-produced lives.

and our parents are moulded by their parents and our grandparents by their parents. therefore, i think it also took courage to be my parents. i have been away for 13 years now. and my dad told me this time that he sees the transformation in me. in a way, i also see the transformation in him. but it definitely took time. my dad has always wanted me to be a teacher, get married to all my past boyfriends, buy a house and 'enjoy' a 'stable' life. do all the things that his friends' or his relatives' daughters are doing. i can imagine whatever internal struggles i feel within myself, he also felt it. i am so happy that i held on, and he also held on. this trip, i feel i am finally, totally acknowledged for who i truly am.

one major thing i experienced for myself on the journey and also from my parents is: WHEN IT IS LOVE, THERE IS COURAGE. when it is attachment, there is fear. thank you universe, i am forever grateful.

thank you girls for reading. i am very happy to share some of my feelings here with you.

photo by kwan, my friend. i 'stole' it from her facebook.

'om mani padme hum... THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, I AM GOING TO LET IT SHINE. om mani padme hum...'- mercedes bhaleda. a mix of buddhist chant and christian hymn. i wish i can let you listen to this song but i cant find it on youtube.

SHINE ON GIRLS! i am with you. : )

first heroic step

2010-08-26T01:16:00.005+08:00

hello girls... i am back in singapore. so busy.. working on my freelance job and also on kyurii. as i am going to be in and out of dharamsala and nepal for teaching and school in the next few months, i am not able to get any new stocks at this moment. however today we managed to find some new stuff lying around in our warehouse, haha.. so we have something up our sleeves coming up soon! do stay tuned.

everyday is filled with so much stuff to do from the moment i wake up to i sleep. my mind is moving so quickly. there is hardly time to unwind. the only time was that precious 3 and half hour on the plane, to rest and catch up on my sleep. i was so happy. i watched shrek. haha... now 3 more days and i have to leave for hk again to continue to pack for nepal this time and clean up the house for handing over on the 1st sep.

anyhow, for now, i need to shoot some new items that we found lying in our warehouse. ha.. and oh the items from MY WARDROBE SALE has arrived! we were packing today. so you should be receiving your stuff real soon!

today kit shared with me a quote which i have to share with you.
"I have found that you do have only to take that one step toward the gods, and they will then take ten steps toward you. That step, the heroic first step of the journey, is out of, or over the edge of, your boundaries, and it often must be taken before you know that you will be supported."
--Joseph Campbell

SO TRUE SO TRUE... heroic first step. have you taken it?

renunication month

2010-08-22T20:20:00.005+08:00

today i really experience for myself, the feeling of having nothing but having everything. i sold everything i listed except for my vacuum and small working table. even my plants are sold to a nice man who is trying to revive my 2 pots of mint plants. haha.. and i gave away almost everything i can give. some good design books and mags and cds to friends, blender, pillows, cushions, bedsheets, curtains to maids and their friends, tomorrow one of them coming to collect my pots and plates. to people who came to buy my furniture, i also give them some stuff.

now i have 2 luggages to bring back to singapore tomorrow, then empty them, bring them back to hk end of this month to refill them with stuff for nepal. other than that, i am reduced to 2 big plastic bags (those china red, white and blue kind) in which i am going to put at elaine's place in lamma. she is so nice... she made me cry today.

so many of my friends have touched me so much this week and last. tessy is now at my good friend, tele's place. yesterday we gave her daughter a surprise without telling her that tessy is already at her house. we picked her up from her piano lessons and then had lunch which is a fake interview in which she has to 'prove' to me that she will be a good owner to tessy. haha.. her mom's idea.

today i put the other 2 cats at kit's place. i am so so so blessed to have such great, reliable friends especially during this time when i needed help most. they are all so readily available for me in a selfless way.

and iris, my ex-boss who is giving me freelance jobs to make sure i have enough money to sustain myself.

and kym, so so so supportive always of my crazy out of the ordinary endeavors and the fantastic luggage he bought me and his loving words. and kym's family, always so kind to me. especially his mom, we had a 3hr lunch that day! sometimes it also puzzles me why i feel such close affinity to her. haha..

and this is why i feel i have nothing (in terms of material possession and wealth or in social standards) but i have everything.
all the love i am feeling this month is extremely moving and powerful. thank you universe!

ok see you girls in singapore!

a line from a book i am reading now to share..

2010-08-20T21:37:00.002+08:00

'to dream of reaching a destination is not enough, you must pack your bags and set out on the journey.'
- from geshe sonam richen's commentary on 'the six perfections'.

moving stress

2010-08-19T09:44:00.004+08:00

good morning... oh girls i hope i am not losing my voice.... drinking lots of water.. honey warm water... its funny how one's voice can change overnight... i sound like a different person.. haha.. last nite when i was chatting to my friends over skype, they were all laughing and when they laugh, i also laugh.. and when i laugh, omg i sound so horrible.. like a witch! ho ho ho.. deep husky voice. they try to comfort me by saying i sound sexy. okok...

saturday i will put 2 cats to kit's place. and sunday i will put tessy to tele's house. woah.. i feel a little sad but i think its better than leaving them home alone (like last 2 months) with the maid coming in every alternate days. i feel really grateful and happy that i have friends who have been so helpful. the cats have been my biggest worry when i decide to not keep a place in hk. tele's daughter likes tessy so much. oh i pray for the cats to settle down quickly and comfortably into their new place and for everything to go well, for the betterment of everyone.

ok today marie, my part time maid is coming in to help clear some stuff at 4pm. and i have also invited junjun, my philippino mover to come in and see if he likes the old bookshelves and stuff. oh they have been so nice to me also.

ok now i am going brunch with elaine, a very nice girl who owns a shop here in lamma and will be moving to singapore.

ok one step at a time. do what i need to do now, at this moment. alright girls! you have a great day ahead!

p.s. i just checked, only 3 items left! from my japan wardrobe collection.

SUYIN's wardrobe sale - last batch!

2010-08-18T09:45:00.010+08:00

good morning everyone! how are you feeling in the middle of the week, wednesday. my sorethroat is bad and coughing. i cant wait for this moving thing to be done and over with. i cant believe next mon i need to be in singapore. tomorrow and friday would be major packing days for me. yesterday i took the 11:20am ferry out and ran errands whole day.
- call internet company
- call tele to see if she wants to take tessy
- call kym's mom to arrange for lunch
- return hazel's call (my hk friend i met in nepal as she needs to stay in my room in nepal for a day or two next week as she cant get her india visa done in bhutan)
- call kevin to transfer my yoga membership
- call gilbert the potential who is able to take my membership to arrange to meet with kevin
- call jac to pass her my precious dharma cds and dvds
- call lau sir to do some chinese calligraphy for my freelance job
- go cwb appointment at pure
- then to central to look for chinese stamps for freelance job
- and pass books to jac
- then went and meet friends to pass some malas at 4pm and ate my lunch
- then tried to meet up with other friends but i couldnt make it.. too exhausted... coughing bad...
- i went to the buddhist bookshop to get some peace and feel recharged after browsing through some books and i bought the 'life of gampopa' so happy! i am so interested in biographies of these great masters. they give me so much inspiration which i cant find around me.
- 7:30pm ferry home, so happy.
- realized i forgot to measure the shoerack and working table for some lamma friends who are interested to buy.

omg.... today is filled with another list of these things.

also, today is the last wave of MY WARDROBE SALE! selling these cute little stuff from my trips to tokyo. some stuff from my favourite brands, jeanasis and lowry's farm.

ok girls, i am getting ready now, again 11:20am ferry out to the city! i should make some coffee now.... omg i am so ready to return to my simple school life. with only to concentrate on one or two things a day. this mental busyness is so harmful but most of us are so used to it, some addicted to it. some really love it especially with so much hi-tech gadgets now which are able to give you full assistance and support to enhance your mental busyness. eating lunch is not just eating lunch, it is eating lunch with the facebook. oh anyway. i can go on and on...

enjoy the day! i will too. transcending beyond dualities. with good, there is bad. with bad there is good. with coming together, there will be separation. with birth, there will be death. two sides of the same coin. A FACT. a simple fact which takes a lot of wisdom and maturity to respect. so lets try to go beyond dualities! then we will gradually see that nothing will affect us much... haha...

we love bags, dont we?

2010-08-16T20:43:00.012+08:00

hello girls... i am trying to stay calm.. my teacher said working with your waves of emotions is one of the best practises. sit back and observe, look at my emotions, it comes becos someone said something that caused it to arise, or maybe due to some limited, may not be at all accurate judgements or perceptions we have on things. and many other factors that could give rise our emotions. things like moving, any major changes going on in our lives, these are situations that would easily create unnecessary emotions. and also, it is these situations that one truly practise. by not reacting. by non-doing. by just observing. seeing your own mind. just looking at it.

haha.. ok i am going to take a shower now. there is a million and one things going on now. so much that i cant even think straight. i am telling myself to take one at a time. and it will be fine.

thank you girls for your continuous support. the bags went very quickly, these are still available!
ooh i love this one, i am surprised why no one buys it yet.. haha...

this little pink one, if no one buys, i am going to ask leekeng to keep it for me. haha.. its hard letting go yah... haha...

this month is renunciation month for me! everything has to go.. even my cats! WOAH! i have to put them with my friend temporarily until i know how things would be for me hopefully by the end of this year. scary... living at the edge. everything is pending now. so much uncertainties, well.. life has always been uncertain, its just that we sometimes deny this fact. nothing is stable, everything is changing. your relationship, work, friends, the weather, even you yourself. no one can say that he or she will never change. haha am i sounding too negative? but actually i am saying all this with such positivity! haha...

sometimes a change is good. it spurs you on. it takes you out of the merry-go-round ride in which you are on for years maybe. it wakes you up. it makes you feel more alive. and makes you re-live your life with courage and dignity! isnt that beautiful? oh so beautiful... haha...i am a little crazy. i am missing my basic-wearing-the-same-old-clothes-everyday-and-eating-the-same-food-everyday-and-drawing-everyday life..... i am not fit for living in the city. too much craziness around.

ok shower time. talk later. please remember to take a look at the rest of the stuff from MY WARDROBE! everything must go!!!!!!!!!

SUYIN's wardrobe sale - my bags!

2010-08-16T10:22:00.011+08:00

hello girls good morning! how are you today? i was down with cold and sorethroat last sat. whole body felt so weak.. i guess it must the weather plus lack of sleep. since i was back from nepal, it was work non stop. today i feel much better! ready to work again! yesterday i did some packing.... it seems endless. haha. but i sold my bed, one of my bookshelf, my standing lamp, and now i really hope to sell my chest of drawers and gas stove. ...

OK! for kyurii news! we had just added some new items to SUYIN's WARDROBE SALE - my second hand bags!!! i have so many bags. i am a bag girl. please take a look, there are some pretty precious agnes b. bags going on ridiculous prices. go now before its gone!

i really like this saddle bag, its from mango.

pemaoser - tibetan accessories debut!

2010-08-12T17:18:00.006+08:00

hello girls, i finally have time to finish up these layouts and launch this new line of tibetan accessories, which means a lot to me. for those who are interested in any of these items, please email directly to me at: tansy103@yahoo.com.

we will be taking orders here first before we officially launch it at kyurii website, as leekeng is very busy now with the new baby. we are very short handed at this moment. therefore, feel free to write to me directly. i am looking forward to hearing from you personally. thank you very much. i hope you like them!

i sold my books!!!

2010-08-12T10:44:00.018+08:00

good morning girls! i am so happy so grateful and so touched by people around me almost everyday. all the love and support i received during this quite difficult but still joyful time has been most encouraging and moving. so much kindness and warm heartedness all around me. i am in pureland.. haha....

YES! i just sold about 80% of my books to a guy from scotland. he just came and collected the books. we had a good chat, i felt like i was in an interview or something. he was asking me all sorts of questions about my life, how i came to this part of my life, what i would do in 6 years time after thangka, what happened if i decided that thangka is not what i want to be doing after say one year, hahaha.. so funny.. i was just expecting some guy to come, pay and take the books but ended up sharing about life and spiritual stuff for an hour i think... and he is actually living just 2 mins away. haha what a nice co-incidence.

LIFE IS NEW EVERYDAY. now i think i can beginning to truly understand what living each day as it is, is all about. haha...

anyway. ok! 11 days more to go! i need to pack and sell as much as i can this week and next... haha.. what a new experience i am going through now.

OK updates now on MY WARDROBE SALE - 3rd wave! BELTS! thank you! the items went off very quickly. now left with only these items:

My Wardrobe Sale - Belts!!!

2010-08-11T09:18:00.001+08:00

we have added some of my old belts in! please CHECK THEM OUT! sorry i cant talk more, am catching 9:40am ferry! have a full day ahead of me, need to make my indian visa and meet a couple of friends to pass them some things and i cant remember.. ok talk soon!

what a productive afternoon...

2010-08-10T20:08:00.016+08:00

hello girls, guess what i have been doing this afternoon.. i have emailed some pictures of my cushions to a potential buyer and taking photos of my table for another, and then typing the titles of my books and tagging them. i could only do like 70 titles.. i still have more but i am not typing them all out. i put an open house sale ad out on lamma.com and an interested buyer emailed me for the list of titles. yes after selling my stuff at kyurii, now i am working hard on selling my house stuff on lamma. the good thing about living on lamma is people on the island are really into recycling. i really love the idea! partly becos its really expensive to move furniture into lamma from the city... so people just buy from each other when they move. haha.. we should really look into this recycling idea with kyurii clothes. it got me really excited that day when i was thinking of doing a recycling program for kyurii, for us kyuriians! haha... for these kyurii-ish clothes. haha... anyone has any thing to sell? haha this whole experience is making me into quite a professional second hand item seller! professional online recycler. any term like this? haha..
the cats basking in the afternoon sun.. oh they will miss lamma... ok this fri i have some people coming in. i need to start unpacking (i still have a box of kitchen stuff which i havent unpacked from my last move. haha) and then packing up my kitchen. my clothes are more or less done. my accessories are almost cleared, only 11 items left. thank you for your support to MY 6 YEARS THANGKA COURSE FUND. every cent counts.

you have to stay tuned to SUYIN's WARDROBE SALE ok because next up are my belts!!! i didnt know i have so many belts too... omg... some only bought to match the items for shooting! so thats coming up tomorrow morning i think. bad memory... definitely soon. i will update when they are up. dont worry.

kyurii reminder:
KYURII 45% SALE IS NOW ON! items are going quickly...... and sale is ending soon.......

Kyurii: 3 items and your postage is waived!

2010-08-09T17:13:00.019+08:00

hello girls! oh i still have about 13 days to pack up and sell my furniture to the lamma community before i come back to singapore on the 23rd this month. i am having an open house sale. from cds to kitchen ware to cushions to my bed and bookshelves and books.. i have so many books aw..... i hate to part with them but i cant possibly bring them all back. it will be too heavy and expensive to send them back. i hope to sell them to people who truly appreciate them.

anyway. ok i better get on with my packing. you know the funniest thing is, when i was still in nepal last month, i never thought that i am moving out of hk so soon.. i thought i was going to do it by the end of this year but when i returned, spontaneously, things start happening.. haha.. which is good. save me the time to worry and plan way ahead. now i just need to pack and then move. haha..

ok here are some of the items i like from the KYURII NATIONAL SALE actually these are one of my favourite launches. ENJOY! thank you!
WAS S$29. NOW S$15.95!
WAS S$29. NOW S$15.95!

WAS S$39. NOW S$21.95!

WAS S$29. NOW S$15.95!

WAS S$26. NOW S$14.30!

WAS S$32. NOW S$17.60!

WAS S$29. NOW S$15.95!

WAS S$36. NOW S$19.80!

WAS S$29. NOW S$15.95!

45% SALE!!

2010-08-08T12:26:00.006+08:00

ok girls, i am preparing for the sales now.... it will be up tomorrow morning and if earlier, i will update you on the blog! meanwhile you have a nice long weekend.. enjoy yourself!

OK! i am back, i just selected about 50 items for sale. items which i think you will like. HAPPY 45% SALE! and yes, you can save on postage when you get 3 items and more! you may combine your purchases. share this link with your friends who are not kyurii customers yet. only 3 days sale! limited qty per item, first come first served basis.

right intention right actions

2010-08-08T00:21:00.014+08:00

hello girls hows your weekend? mine has been busy so far, meeting up with friends who have been so supportive of my mala project. i just called Asha (my tibetan homestay sister from the states who is still in nepal now) to share with her and to convey the message to Acha-la. i feel really happy to be able to start this project so quickly.. i remember last month i was still looking at the unstrung beads and stones lying in my room, working on them on the last 2 sundays before i leave.... and now they are actually made! and we are actually selling them. it once again shows me that if you put your heart to something, naturally (and magically) things start to happen without having to worry too much about it. the whole process was so smooth and fun... its really as if the whole world is conspiring to make it happen for you. but personally i feel, the magic lies in having the right intention. in buddhism, we are always reminded the importance of setting the right intention and generate the right motivation for every action we take. like i mentioned in facebook, i wish to continue this mala project for at least the next 6 years. it is my personal wish for Acha-la to work in the comfort of her house making malas instead of having to sell street food like now. The biggest reason being, when Acha-la is out selling food, 6 yo miss tenzin yangkyi also stays out on the streets playing after school becos there is no one else at home (and no such thing as childcare or domestic helpers). its so difficult for Acha-la to keep an eye on her as well as taking care of her food business. and miss tenzin yangkyi being miss overly smart (as her uncle calls her) can be really naughty at times, running around and sometimes running a little too far from her mother's sight. and when i see the taxis and bikes (and cows roaming) around, sometimes i get really worried. so it would be good if Acha-la works from home and miss tenzin yangkyi can go home straight after school at 4pm, instead of being out on the streets till 8pm.
therefore, i hope this mala project will be blessed by all the buddhas and be a steady success as it grows. : )

''If we can relate to others on the basis of equa¬nimity, our compassion will not depend on the fact that so and so is my husband, my wife, my relative, my friend. Rather, a feeling of closeness toward all others can be developed based on the simple recognition that, just like myself, all wish to be happy and to avoid suffering. In other words, we will start to relate to others on the basis of their sentient nature.'' - HH The 14th Dalai Lama.

also, thank you girls for browsing through my second hand accessories! i am very happy that they are going out to KYURII customers. there are only 11 items left today! i just checked. go before they are gone! things are moving really quickly.........

Suyin's wardrobe sale second wave!

2010-08-05T11:35:00.018+08:00

hey girls, thank you for the great response to my accessories. i have prepared one more batch. my goodness.. i didnt know i have so much accessories until i start shooting them... here you go! they will be available on WWW.KYURII.COM tomorrow morning.

and there are more....

Sonam Dechen malas available now!

2010-08-04T00:50:00.034+08:00

hi friends, if anyone is interested in getting a mala as a gift or for chanting, please buy from my tibetan sister. i am helping her to sell these beautiful malas to support her family in any small way.
and SPECIAL DEAL for kyurii customers only: I should be going to Dharamsala for HH Dalai Lama's Teaching next month, I can help bring your purchased mala to get it specially blessed by the Dalai Lama. : )

This turquoise mala below has 3 dividers, each consisting of a single DZI stone placed between lotus seeds. The meaning of the Tibetan word "DZI" translates to "shine, brightness, clearness, splendor". In Chinese, the bead is called "heaven's bead" or "heaven's pearl" (天珠). Tibetans believe dZi beads to possess the power to bring about good influence associated with protection, prosperity, attracting wealth, fostering good health and ward against evil. and LOTUS SEED which has a special quality of being so pristine and beautiful, and having prominently arisen from the murkiness of a swamp. it is believed to lift us from the darkness of our confusion, the brightness of our awakened heart can be born.
SGD 59.
The wearing of coral is said to increase vitality, courage and ability to work on endeavors through to their fruition.
SGD 49.
also, i found this. haha! ''This gemstone transmits energy from Mars and this energy will help you to resolve problems with courage improve your perseverance and encourage you to face the risky situations. Your obstacles in relation to jealous business competitions, set back in careers, delayed marriages, infertility, abortion, smallpox, acidity, piles etc. will be removed. You can tame your enemies, succeed in your business or prosper in career and end-up in happy married life. You will enjoy best the social status.'' read more about wearing coral...
SGD 39.
Onyx is a strength-giving stone, aiding confidence and useful for people under stress. Its energy is a mental tonic and can help you cope with fears and worries, making you feel in harmony with your surroundings.
SGD 49.

SGD 39.
turquoise is widely appreciated by Tibetans and all through Tibetan history has been prized, valued and worn as jewellery, not only for preserving the family wealth but also for its application in ritual and medicinal practice. "Gyu" (pronounced "yu") the name for turquoise seems to be indigenous, indicating that knowledge of the mineral came from within and not through outside influences.
SGD 59.
turquoise is also well-known for its good luck and healing properties. Throughout Tibet, turquoise is frequently worn in people's hair through braids, especially on children as a protection stone. Most common place is on silver jewelry that people wear daily. It is believed that if worn round the wrist or neck, protects the wearer from unnatural deaths, disaster and poverty.
SGD 45.

SGD 45.
please email leekeng if you are interested in the malas made of precious stones, as a gift for your mom or for yourself. thank you. thank you.

Kyurii What I Wear Today!

2010-08-03T18:56:00.009+08:00

0709-010 LONG SLEEVE SHIRT great for the hot hot hot super hot weather!! it feels light and comfy!
sorry the studded skinny i wore today is sold out, you may also like this similar pair 0824-009 SLIM CUT JEANS without the studs or...
these super soft and super 'thigh and calf flattering' skinnies
in grey and sky blue. look at the blue blue sky today! this is hong kong! unbelievable! no photoshop! everything looks so clear and sharp today. so nice! but a little too hot..... the humidity level so high. i am sweating like i am in hot yoga. not joking.. haha..

oh thank you girls for your support, my accessories are selling fast.. i am happy that they are going to you girls. somehow we keep the connection going.... oh thank you thank you. i will be bringing them back personally middle of this month for you! i am now trying to take photos of some of my bags, clothes and stuff. so please continue to stay tuned to kyurii's SUYIN's WARDROBE SALE

Suyin's wardrobe sale!

2010-08-02T21:37:00.020+08:00

hi girls, in order to raise money for my studies, i am selling as many of my personal stuff as possible. also becos i will be moving out of my hk base (as it is way too expensive to keep especially when at least 5 months in a year would be spent in nepal). many changes going on currently... will update you as i go along. its scary at times but it is the path. haha.. i am planning to pack up soon, so we decide to sell these beautiful personal pieces here at flea prices. many of them are very new, worn only for shooting kyurii items. i really hope you like them! take a look if there is anything you might like. EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!! no matter how hard it is to part with them... haha...

we hope to get as many of the accessories up by tomorrow morning on kyurii.com . if not please email leekeng and reserve the items you like first. thanks!

today last day!

2010-08-02T09:45:00.003+08:00

FREE DELIVERY today last day! go go go.. and have a fantastic week ahead, girls!

Kyurii postage waived!

2010-08-01T13:30:00.006+08:00

hey dont forget.. today and tomorrow FREE DELIVERY! looking for anything? make use of this offer. have a lovely sunday, girls!

kyurii nightwear ON SALE NOW!

Kyurii on this month's Her World!

2010-07-31T20:20:00.023+08:00

hello girls! some kyurii items have been featured on her world mag this month! just want to share with you here!

go take a closer look at this TECHNO SWIRL TOP now! also we are WAIVING POSTAGE FOR YOU this weekend! so make use of this opportunity to shop now at www.kyurii.com

second item featured: my personal favourite! WEAVED LEATHER BAG all bags are ON SALE NOW! go and check them out!
oh yes, it comes also in CHAMPAGNE WEAVED
and BLACK WEAVED . and if you purchase it this weekend, you will be saving more than S$20! the original price for the bag is $69, now only at S$49.90! PLUS FREE POSTAGE! so please dont miss this opportunity if you are thinking of getting a new bag. this is perfect chance. haha... ok enough hard selling... and the third item feature is: FLOWER CLUSTER DRESS. nice! i love it! heehee.. looks cute with the little sling bag!
oh also, leekeng asked me to remind you that NIGHTWEAR ON SALE too! cute little lacey night dress, all going for only S$12.90! go take a look! maybe there is a sexy night coming up... hee...

OK! please enjoy all the little promotions we have for you this weekend! i am so hungry.. today i have been running around in the city running errands and catching up with friends, need to cook my dinner now. talk later!

Acha-la's mala beads debut!

2010-07-30T22:36:00.008+08:00

i am now working on the mala project. Acha-la designed and stringed 41 mala beads for me to bring back to sell. every mala is unique and the healing stones are all hand stringed with tender loving care (like how she makes the dough for the flat bread we eat every morning). haha.... it is so true that when things are made with love, you really do feel the difference. and it really makes you appreciate them so much more. everytime i see her working on them at her little street store when there is no business, with a big wide smile, i really hope that this little project can take off smoothly and succesfully. she loves making malas and is an expert. and each time i see her smile, my heart smiles too. we decide to use Acha-la's name, 'Sonam Dechen' for the malas. 'sonam' in tibetan means lucky and 'dechen' means happiness. we hope that each mala will bring to its owner an abundance of luck and joy.

well, malas are prayer beads. almost every tibetan has one. Acha-la has hers for over 30 years, it kind of slowly becomes part of you. the tibetans especially the elders are always seen with their left hand holding the mala and you can see them murmuring mantras as their figers runs through the beads. 'Buddhist prayer beads are a traditional tool used to count time while meditating using mantras. They are similar to other forms of prayer beads used in various world religions; thus some call this tool the Buddhist rosary....' to read more...

now i am awaiting for Asha (my homestay sister from harvard, studying religion and tibetan language!) to write some lines.. and we can start selling malas for Acha-la. haha thats why this layout is still work-in-progress.. but i want to share with you now! we were joking that Asha is the manager as well as writer, i am the design and sales and my friend, tenzin (who is acha-la's brother is the CEO) haha.. there goes our little international tibetan family business. hm... our sales target: 7 yo tenzin yangkyi and her 9 yo sister's school fees, maybe plus my monthly rent there.

OK! girls, if you are interested in the malas (maybe as a fashion necklace or bracelet) please stay tuned!

Kyurii What I Wore last week!

2010-07-30T12:39:00.008+08:00

on my last day i brought Acha-la and miss tenzin yangkyi out for a nice dinner! and i wore this dress! haha.. but with a cardigan over and leggings under. over there, its better not to show too much flesh. haha. and without any accessories, no belt no earrings.. haha.. this sassy dress is now available at www.kyurii.com
NEW! 0712-010 0712-010 at S$29.

now in hong kong, i can accessorise as much as i like, without looking out of place. hee! you have a beautiful day today! i have so much work to get done. lets talk later. now need to cook lunch.. woah.. no Acha-la to cook my meals for me now...

quiet days...

2010-07-29T21:11:00.015+08:00

hi girls, how are you? i am feeling a little strange tonite. haha becos my house in lamma seems way too quiet as compared to living with my tibetan family. everyday i come back from school, i have miss tenzin yangkyi asking me 'what you do? you have homework? where you go? hazel's house? you sleep? you watch tv?' haha.... she wants to know my entire schedule. oh i am missing her. for now, i will simply appreciate the quietness. yeah!

today i continue to run some errands and met up with 2 good friends. tomorrow i am going to shoot the mala beads that Acha-la made and also the bracelets! i want to start contacting the shops and centers in hk to sell them. we might also sell them at kyurii. i am really excited! i brought some to show my friends today, and they love it too, as fashion accessories necklaces they look great too! hee...

ok i am going to have an early night. not feeling too well. the stuffy pre-typhoon weather is really bad. the humidity level is so high.. mould growing... i dun like this type of weather.. makes me feel so lethargic. my whole body is aching i duno why....

have you girls check out the new items? www.kyurii.com go now!
after being in a poor developing country for almost 2 months and dressing so simply everyday, i am beginning to feel the mood to dress up again. looking at these photos is so refreshing! hee..

check them out now.

oh i have to tell that i was so happy 2 nites ago when i took my shower, my first shower in hk since i got back. the water has no smell! and is clear! not slightly yellowish (and according to the locals, the water supply in the house i am living is considered good, there are houses with unstable water supply or brown, murkish water. slight yellowish water is normal). so nice! i truly appreciate it. haha... and there is always light when i switch on the lights, electricity is always running. not like in nepal, some times after lunch, when we switch on the fan in school and its not moving means there is no electric supply. everyday, there is bound to be a few hours of electric failure. maybe its good, helps to save the environment. wow.. all countries should learn from nepal, and switch off the electric supply for a few hours every day. haha..

you know when i am there, one of the biggest things i became conscious of, is to save water, turning off the tap when i am shampooing my hair, and switching off lights when you are not in room, eating just enough, not wasting food, you know all the basic things that i used to take for granted living in the city. water is a precious commodity. its a good reminder for me from time to time.

alright! 'sim ja nang go', girls. sleep well. i see you tomorrow! hugs.

Kyurii new items!!!

2010-07-28T10:49:00.018+08:00

hello girls! i am back in lamma island. just 4 hrs and 10 mins flight and i am back to a completely lifestyle and environment. the first thing that hit me was, so much concrete and steel around. over there, i am always walking on dirt, grass, mud, sand, wood (there are few good pavements)... in the city, everything seems so hard and cold and so clean and organized.... haha.. anyway.

OK! NEW LAUNCH TODAY! 2 nights ago when i was packing, i realized i brought along this top wth me to nepal. haha.. and now i left it there at Acha-la's house. i really like it, try it with a pair of shorts and maybe a thin belt. nice! a printed maxi dress in blue for you this week!
flower print very comfortable harem pants! best to go with a simple tank top.
this crochet top is my favourite this week! i think with skinny jeans will look even better! try it.

back by popular demand - a new print tube jumpsuit! some of you couldnt manage to get them a few weeks ago, so i hope you will also like this pair. and you can wear it as a pair of harem pants too.
we love flowery tube dress too... so sweet. wear it over a jacket and its good for work too.
love this also! another favourite item. but sorry, very limited in quantity. be quick!
oh one more long dress for you. i nearly missed it out. i like this one too, smock bodice and full tiered skirt.
and lastly one light weight knitted cardigan, great for layering dresses and tank tops.

oh my internet is so fast now as comapred to saturday cafe in boudha, haha.. i am a little not used to it. OK girls! lets go shopping now at www.kyurii.com thank you very much. talk soon. now i have to go out to the city to run some errands. you girls have a beautiful day! my nose is running so bad.. the weather is so stuffy here.. typhoon kind of weather. see you later!

my last day in school! party!

2010-07-25T14:51:00.019+08:00

yesterday we have party in school! its actually thangka tea party from the second year students for everyone becos they are about to painting their first thangka. its a tradition that you make a little offering and prayers. it also co-incides with my last day in school for this trip. and also for me to wish the monks who are going to bodhgaya for 6 mths to do wall painting for shechen monastery a safe and good journey, so i also chipped in some money. lots of cakes, soft drinks and cameras... monks just love taking photos... haha..
the girls, foreigners and locals with our miss yangzom.
oh i am going to miss the boys so much... everyday i sit with these year 2 monks in class, their jokes really made me laugh. and they gave me 2 nicknames. one is putali (means butterfly or doll in nepalese) and sherpani becos there are 3 sherpas in our class, and they are always speaking sherpa language. and talking to me in it, so one day i decided to ask a senior monk who is also a sherpa to teach me one sentence in their language. so he told me when they tease me again, i will say to them 'why? do you want to marry me?' haha... to make fun of them. and so one day when miss yangzom went out.... again zorpa (the monk below who sits besides me in class) started to talk to me again in sherpa language. i was already anticipating it and so i asked him that very sentence! haha and everyone started bursting out in laughter.. and his face turned red. haha.. its so fun to tease them. he looks so serious in this photo.. so funny... dechen and 2P (gyurme's nickname) best friends! titanic... haha... one day i saw them walking around in school like this.. with their hands interlocked. i teased them again, i pointed my finger and said 'oh now i know!!! you guys are ....' then immediately they told me 'NO! dun think like that, we are only best friends.' haha... so cute. oh well, actually the monks are always hugging each others in the 'friend' way. so its nothing unusual, i just enjoy teasing them. then on party day, i told them i want a photo of them together, immediately they gave me this pose. haha..
and this is iku (his nickname which means tarzan in nepalese) check out his long long arms and legs. he is always calling my name and then talking to me in either nepalese or tibetan. you know only a few of them speaks some english but still, we seem to understand each other. oh they are all so sweet.... always smiling, joking and making me laugh. i have grown to enjoy their presence... their innocence, helpfulness and friendly lighthearted way is totally refreshing from the city people. and in a way, it touched me deeply. i wish them all a safe and good journey to bodhgaya and i will only get to see them next year march during exam time.
OK! i will be back in hong kong this coming tuesday! see you girls then. now i need to go collect my 2 chubas (tibetan dress) and then home to drop off my laptop then i need to go do some shopping before dinner with my teachers tonite. ok i guess i will talk to you all again in hk!

and look out for our new launch next wednesday! i will be blogging about it then! today is full moon, very auspicious day today. hazel and i walked 11 rounds round the stupa this morning at 6:30am, after dinner today, we want to do another 11 rounds maybe and lets remember to dedicate all the merits (whatever good things you do) to all the sentient beings out there, including all of you, may everyone be free from fear and suffering and causes of fear and suffering.

acha-la's malas

2010-07-21T20:43:00.010+08:00

living with Acha-la, it doesnt take much effort to understand the difficulties of a single mom raising 3 kids and especially in nepal, one of the poorest country in the world. and plus, living as a tibetan refugee in someone else' country. all these just makes it even more difficult. but i am really moved by Acha-la's inner strength and optimism. she doesnt complain nor do you hear her whine about how badly life has treated her. she acknowledges the fact that yes, her life is difficult but she doesnt hold on to the fact and make a huge drama out of it. she just goes about her day, waking up at 4am preparing the rice sheets for her snack business, making them from scratch. then prepare breakfast for us, the flat bread i eat everyday is made from flour. fresh every morning, not ready-made bread from the market. send miss tenzin yangkyi to school, then clean the house, then goes out to set up her store and starting selling the food till 8pm at night. then prepares dinner for us. we usually eat at 9pm. watching the chinese made drama serial with tibetan voice over is the time when she can relax a bit. and when we sleep at 10pm, she has to prepare the food for selling tomorrow. she probably sleeps at 11pm.

so i am going to help Acha-la sell these beautiful malas in hong kong and singapore. if anyone knows any buddhist centers or shops which we can sell them at, please let me know. you can email us at misskyurii@kyurii.com. i hope that this mala project can help to support Acha-la's family. pay some school fees, maybe, that would be good. and i wish to keep it going for at least 6 years, the duration of my thangka course. by then tenzin yangkyi would be 12 yo, and completes primary school. that would be great. for now, we will take it one step at a time. just like my thangka. this is my personal favourite. red, black and white. and girls, YES! i did my first buddha in robes on monday. here it is, take a look! haha...
i cant believe how quickly time passes, this is my last week here. i will be back in hk next tues. i feel i have lived here for a long long time. and i am so well adapted here. even though my life took a dramatic change since arriving here. leekeng and i were joking about it over the phone a few days ago. becos usually when we talk, it is usually little kimi at the background asking leekeng all sorts of questions. now whenever i talk on the phone, miss tenzin yangkyi would be asking me 'who are you talking to?' i said my friend. she will ask 'what is her name? where? hong kong or singapore?' haha... she wants to know all the names and what we talked about. and i had to tell leekeng 'ok i think i better go.' usually she would be the one telling me 'ok i need to go entertain kimi.' now i suddenly have a 6yo daughter.
OK! goodnite girls. i am going home now. its getting dark and its drizzling. talk soon.

i passed my buddha body!

2010-07-18T15:26:00.014+08:00

woohoo! i am so happy! last sat when i showed my teacher, yangzom my drawing of the buddha body, after she made some corrections, and to my surprise, she said 'ok clean up the board and i will teach you buddha clothes now.' YEAH!! everytime unlce tenzin comes home for dinner, i will ask him for some drawing tips. hee... after all he is master thangka painter, and i am staying at his sister's house so i must not waste this precious opportunity to learn. and each time after 'tuition', i will pass with flying colours and get to move on to learn new things. oh i am so happy... hehe... but he already said he will soon start charging me by the hour. the fingers and the toes are so difficult, also getting the proportion right is also crucial. my teacher said buddha body is the most difficult, even graduate students may not be able to draw a perfect buddha body. i need more practise on the hands and feet. i love drawing faces.
this morning hazel and i decided to do kora (circumbulation round a religious symbol), basically walking round the big stupa. we started at 6:30am. the tibetans start as early as 4:30am. we did 11 rounds again this morning, it takes roughly 45mins. look! so many pigeons this morning! the weather is great today. very cooling. walking in front of us, are these very cool looking tibetan elderly men. tibetan men fashion. oversized shirt, loose khaki pants, hats, umbrella hung on the shoulder and dont forget the mala on your left hand, most important acceesory. so cute! haha.. i love their hats. haha..
after kora, we went for breakfast at a very local place. milk tea, flat bread and spicy potato plus chilli. the local tibetans first spread butter onto the 'phaleb' (bread in tibetan) then spread the red chilli sauce on top (like jam) then roll it up and eat it. the chilli is really good.
after breakfast, hazel bought some fresh vege. she is into cooking. not me. hee... maybe shopping for clothes for me. haha...
its only 3pm now.. i feel like its 5pm at least. when you wake up early, it really does seem like the day is soooo long and you can get so much more done. i think i am going to go back home now for a little nap and practise a little more drawing. then go to hazel's house and maybe drop by tashi's house. then back home for my tibetan 'tuition' with miss tenzin. she wanted to play 'tuition' with me last evening but i was totally exhausted after 5 and a half day of school, so i promised her we will play today. i am going to get an exercise book for miss tenzin's tuition class on my way home now.

OK! see you girls soon! 9 more days and i will be back in hong kong. oh and the mala project is getting along great! Achala is making them in the afternoon at her store when there are not much customers. she has finished most of the malas, then she will start to make the bracelets. i am wearing one mala round my neck as a necklace now. i will show you later! i am running so low on battery now.. ok see you later. hugs!

NEW IN preview for this week!

2010-07-12T19:56:00.013+08:00

hello girls, its about 5:40pm now.. school ended about 5pm... i went home to take my laptop and now i am in sat cafe. i just ordered a mango sundae. today the pigeons are not sitting on the stupa. oh i can hear the bells gong-ing from the monasteries around and the faint chanting and horns blowing in the background. today half the boys in school are not here.. becos of the world cup finals last nite! haha... i guess its like this everywhere yeah. and those who are present, they are all dozing off in class. haha...

OK! preview time! tomorrow we are launching new items. here they are! haha you know girls, when i look at these photos i shot before i left for nepal, it kinda feels wierd. i look so different from how i look like now everyday. haha.. it doesnt really feel like the me now yet it is also me. but there is no preference. when i am in the city, then i enjoy the city! when i am here, then i just enjoy here. guess what! i brought along this dress here with me! but.... hm.... i am wondering if i should wear it to school. it just feels a little out of place. haha.... i even brought along this belt! but if i were to wear it to school tomorrow, i would definitely go without the belt. everything is just at its most basic here, accessorizing creates a HUGE effect. haha....

OK! girls please continue to give us your support. sorry that i cant be blogging more regularly about the items. oh forgot, we also have 3 new belts lined up for you this week!

enjoy!!!! if i am not wrong, these items would be up by tomorrow morning, check them out at WWW.KYURII.COM. thank you very much.

OK now i need to go home, take shower, then i want to practise on my buddha body. its really difficult! and this thursday is yet another holiday!!! argh.. i have not much time left... i really hope to get a 'very good' from miss yangzom before i leave.

sim ja nang (goodnite) girls. nyi ki pu tu sung (wish you good sleep). je la je yong (see you).

What I Am Wearing Now!

2010-07-11T15:48:00.011+08:00

please go now and see if there is any item from the NEW ARRIVALS which you like! thank you.
i am now in saturday cafe again for lunch and to check my emails. today its a rainy day here. so many pigeons are sitting on the stupa today. usually they are not. so cute. they just all flew one round and then back to take their seats again. haha they are too fast for me to capture. today is my only full day holiday. saturday i have half day school. today i woke up at 8am, mon to fri, i wake up at 6:30am. i am not getting enough sleep actually.. my life here is much more hectic than in lamma seriously. i wasnt expecting it at all.. haha.. i have dark circles now.
so sunday is my only day to work on the mala project. Acha-la used to sell malas so she has all these stocks at home. however there was too much competition here, the money she earned from malas are not enough to support her family (Acha-la is a single mom who needs to feed 3 children) so she has to switch to selling street food. seeing all these beautiful turquoise and coral beads got me excited and interested. maybe i could do something... last sunday Acha-la and i start working on the malas. i will match the colours and Acha-la will make them and i will bring them back to hong kong and singapore to sell them and help Acha-la make some money. life is tough here. this morning, i am working on bracelets. ooh i am loving them... hm.. maybe we will switch to selling tibetan accessories soon! haha.. and tonite Acha-la's brother, Tenzin who is my friend will come over to be our translator so that we can discuss the details. thanks margie, for helping to get some contacts in hk for me. my time here passes so quickly.. i am left with 16 days! many things to get done. OK! i am going to stay a little longer here then home to practise on drawing. and get some tuition from uncle tenzin (who is the headmaster of my school) on my buddha body.

OK girls! have a beautiful sunday. tashi delek! appreciate everything we have and never take anything for granted.

p.s. to edwina, i got your facebook message. thank you so much for caring for the 3 cats.

what a week

2010-07-10T19:53:00.022+08:00

hi girls, how was your week? mine had been pretty exciting. last tuesday was Dalai Lama's birthday and a holiday at school so the whole family went to celebrate with the tibetans. big day! the night before, Acha-la already briefed us (me and Asha, an american girl who is studying tibetan language who is homestaying with us) on our schedule, get up at 6am, clean up, put on our best chuba, have 'deytsi' (tibetan sweet rice - special celebration food) for breakfast then go to granduncle's house at 7am, then set off for the celebration venue at 7:30am. this is Asha in my chuba. i dressed her, haha in my turquoise earrings and sandals and Acha-la's bag. she looks great! gosh.. you know it feels exactly like chinese new year. putting on your nicest clothes and looking your best. everyone is so excited.. haha..especially miss tenzin yangkyi because she gets 100 rupees from her mom and her favourite pizza dinner from us. she started counting down to this special day like 5 days before, each time reminding me that we are having pizza. 'Dalai Lama's birthday, we all eat pizza yeah?' every morning, i wake up or get back from school, i am asked that. haha....
i made a short sleeve flowery chuba. satiny wrinkle free material, great for summer. miss tenzin yangkyi shot this. haha.. no head.. we lined to present katas to the photo of Dalai Lama. miss tenzin yangkyi with her friends. miss tenzin, photographers' favourite. 2 cameras shooting away at her and she is a natural. supermodel in the making... check it out.. she is posing haha.. they all love picnics. many families bought their own food, eating and watching the tibetan school children perform songs and dance. so happy and simple. but at the same time, about 400 tibetan monks were put into jail for going to the celebration by the nepalese police. this is so sad.. and outside the venue, there were so many nepalese police standing around, with shields and helmets. its crazy. its a good thing we set off really early, we met many others who were stopped on their way to the venue by the police and were asked to turn around. they have to try many different routes and times to try to get to the celebration. girls, we must appreciate our freedom and support human rights. i am feeling really tired actually. everyday there is so much going on.. haha.. last nite i helped put conditioner for miss tenzin as her hair is always entangled after washing. teaching her how to do it. and another night, we taped her books, she is a rough little girl. all the pages from her books coming out! every nite i have different activities with her. last nite we had tuition. she is the teacher and i am her student of coz. an hour of tibetan and english conversation. she is too serious! haha... she gives me tests and spelling and homework! i am so tired after a full day of school. school ends at 4:30pm, i got home about 5pm, after my shower i was thinking of taking a nap. but no! i have to 'play' tuition with her. but it was really helpful. after my little quiz where she would choose some words and say in english, and i have to say in tibetan, and which of coz, i failed badly! now i remember what is spoon, cupboard, puppy, dog, sports, table in tibetan. and also thanks to Acha-la, now we must do our best to speak tibetan during meal times. she came up with the idea and initially i thought she was joking. but nope.. she is serious. haha.... but it is very helpful, just after a day, i have learnt a lot of sentences. so thanks Acha-la and miss tenzin, my 2 wonderful tibetan teachers. and check this out! i was greeted by 2 cows 3 days ago! not one, but TWO! one at each side... my goodness... they really love it here. in school, miss yangzom teaching us how to sew the cotton cloth to the bamboo sticks while the students are playing. haha.. pema, brazilian girl in year 2 making fun of the youngest girl in class, also in year 2. all my senior schoolmates. i really love it here. the atmosphere in school is so happy. and people are always joking and laughing.. and i find myself laughing and joking all the time too. haha... even though the living environment is harsh, but the joy i feel seems to dominate everything else. today is rubbish day. the rubbish get piled up over the week, and this morning the truck came and everyone came out with the bags of garbage. and this is how they do it, the workers putting all the piled up rubbish into bags manually by hand. and last nite i saw some kids rummaging through for toys and cds and anything they like. i also saw dead rats in the pile.. so sad.. aent we lucky?
OK! my battery is running low... have a great weekend. tomorrow i am going to work with Acha-la on making mala beads to help support her family and also myself. i will mix and match the beads and colours and she is an expert at making them. you see, my monthly rent is equivalent to supporting miss tenzin and her sister's school fees every month. so i am going to start this little mala project. i will tell you more about it soon. stay tuned girls! love you!
let me end this post with this sweet photo of miss tenzin sleeping and these meaningful words from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche - “The big difference between myself and others is in numbers – there is only one of me, but countless others. So, my happiness and my suffering are completely insignificant compared to the happiness and suffering of infinite other beings. What truly matters is whether other beings are happy or suffering. This is the basis of the mind determined to attain enlightment.”

KYURII NEW IN coming next tues!

2010-07-03T17:47:00.011+08:00

hello girls, kyurii will be back in operation starting from next tuesday! there will be NEW ARRIVALS up on tues. please note that! OK! i am previewing them now.... we are starting this month with some bright colours and pschedelic prints! great to go with simple black or denim pieces. we hope you love them! we are very happy to be back and sharing with you again. thank you for staying with us.

oh you know i wish i have the new clothes here with me. OK! have fun shopping next tues, and if you are interested in any of the pieces now, please drop leekeng an email, and we can reserve them for you first. thank you! hugs. love to all from boudha.

my first buddha body

2010-07-03T16:22:00.015+08:00

hi girls, i started on the buddha body 2 days ago... oh all the exact measurement and proportion need to be perfect and accurate. when you miss a little bit of every curve thinking that its ok, but halfway through into the drawing, you will realize that it is not ok. the curve from the hand may not link to the heel. or the toes of one feet are higher than the other feet. becos everything is interconnected. if you miss a little of one part, the other part will eventually be affected in some way. just like how it is like in life. buddhism teaches us that everything and everyone of us are connected in some way. what you do to another, is what you are doing to yourself.
nearly a month had passed. i am enjoying the time here so much i wish i can stay here longer. but foreigners we are only allowed 5 mths in a year here in nepal. i have to divide and make use of my time well to make sure i learnt everything that i need to pass my exam. after buddha body, i have to allocate one more month in sep/oct to learn the buddha clothes. then i am good. i need to draw 8 items: leaf, bud, lotus, 2 types of cloud, fire, scarves, pata (decorative border), plus buddha face, buddha body and clothes. i have learnt all except for body and clothes now.
OK! today let me introduce some of my classmates to you. haha.. they all have nicknames. i also have one, or 2 nicknames now. haha... they are fond of giving each other nicknames. pyscho with baby tenzin. baby belongs to a lady working at the tailor in the school. their workshop is just besides our classroom. so every teatime, baby tenzin becomes our best entertainment. the monks will take turns carrying him. haha its so sweet to see all the monks kissing and hugging the baby, sometimes they get into a little argument becos the one carrying baby tenzin refuses to let go. everyone wants to carry tenzin. haha... chime graduated last year, now he is teacher. oh i must call him 'gen la' (teacher) now.... yeah phuntsok is going to cook for me and hazel next week! yummy i like the bhutanese green chilli cheese vege stew. i just went to make a summer short sleeve tibetan style chuba. flowery fabric. this is for Dalai Lama's birthday this coming tuesday. our whole family going to celebrate. Acha-la, miss tenzin, Asha (an american girl also homestaying with us, she is learning tibetan for 2 months) and i, we will wear chubas and go celebrate and have a nice dinner out. i told miss tenzin about it this morning and asked her what food she likes, she said pizza! haha... she is so happy! it would be a lovely day. i have sent the fabric to the tailor, i am looking forward to seeing the finished product on monday. hee...

OK! its about 3plus in the afternoon now. today is half day in school, ended at about 11am, then hazel and i went to the market to shop for slippers. i am heading for home now i think. i want to take a shower and wash my hair. then maybe practise my tibetan. i am doing fine in thangka but not in my tibetan. i can only say: 'where are you? i am going xxxx. tonight i am not eating dinner, i am eating dinner at tashi's house. i am eating lunch with my friends. i need some hot water. today weather is good. today weather is hot. i am very tired. goodnight. see you tomorrow' oh! and 2 very important sentences i learnt:
1. 'please dont use coarse words. i dun like coarse words.' haha.. kunga taught me this, and asked me to say to happy tulku. initially i dunno whats the meaning. everytime i see him i will say this and everyone will laugh. haha this is actually quite a good way to practice; to allocate one sentence for one friend. and say the same thing for a week. then change to a new sentence.
2. 'you go eat shit!' hahaha....

woohoo!!!!

2010-06-30T19:53:00.004+08:00

hello girls! i have passed my buddha face today! now i am on to buddha's body! which is soooooooo difficult.... i guess it would be buddha body all the way till i leave end of july.

the other place i hang out at..

2010-06-29T20:02:00.014+08:00

today is a holiday. morning i stayed at home and practised on out-lining which i find most difficult. then Acha-la asked me to join her for lunch so i walked to her shop which is just 5 mins from the house and we went for chinese food with her friend. i feel so bad becos she insisted on paying. the meal should be around 250 ruppees and on the average she earns about 350 ruppees a day selling 'laughing' noodles for 35 ruppee each plate. before i go, i am going to bring the whole family out for a good dinner.

then i went home for a nap. drawing from 8am to 4:30pm in a 5 and half day week is really tiring. hazel and i often joked about our efficiency rate. there is no way we can survive in hong kong at this rate we are going. we often only do one thing in a day after school. i remember there was a time, when we need to get a couple of things at different places. but instead of getting them all at a time, we decide to spilt them up, concluding that if we do everything today, we would have nothing to do tomorrow. so it would be better if we just do one thing a day after school. haha... today she went to extend her visa, and i came to saturday for internet. and this is the most major thing i did today. this is where i am now. at boudha stupa, 5 mins from home and school. i can hear crows crying, dogs barking, chanting and bells ringing in the background. most of the monasteries are located here. its about 7pm now, there is still light. the tibetans are all coming out to do their evening walk around the stupa. the atmosphere is really nice... oh actually i did more than one thing today, i also bought fabric for my chinese style collar (upper body) and tibetan style skirt (lower body) combination chuba. hee... the nepalese shop owner is really nice and polite, he gave me discount becos he said i have nice face. oh (blushing...) and when i am about to pay him, he gave me another 100 ruppees off. and i wish him good business. i want to get it made for my trip to india in september.

OK! going to introduce some more of my tibetan friends here today. i usually have my meals either at home or at tashi's house (which is actually rinpoche's house). tashi is rinpoche's nephew. and this is tashi. and this is gombo, rinpoche's dog. rinpoche has many dogs. rinpoche also has a mouse!!! tashi is not only dog sitter but also mouse sitter! amazing guy! haha... tashi and tenzin giving santro a bath. tashi in his favourite attire, gloves! tashi cleaning again... very serious cleaner. toothbrush for the switch. we are all so impressed! haha...

OK i need to go! miss tenzin yangkyi should be back from tuition now. time to play a bit with her before dinner. ok write soon! see you!

auspicious weekend!

2010-06-28T14:16:00.014+08:00

tashi delek everyone! monday start of the week, tomorrow is yet another holiday for me. there are so many holidays here, since i arrived, there had been already 3 holidays. they all love it but i dun. haha.. i just want to draw and draw. i am settling in really well, adapting well to my new family life. haha just 2 days ago, tenzin yangkyi came home crying becos she was naughty and her mom was disciplining her and she hid behind me and held my hand. for an hour, i stood there in between her mom and her, trying to figure out what happened. haha.. this is an experience i wont get if i stay on my own. there is one time, when miss tenzin's uncle (who is my friend) came and asked me if miss tenzin washed her hair. haha.. now i find myself saying things like 'come miss tenzin, let me check if you really washed your hair', 'quick wear your uniform, you are going to be late for school.' haha...

saturday was 17th Karmapa's birthday so we went to his monastery here to join in the celebration. check out the braids. everyone was dressed in their best. i need to get a short sleeve summer chuba made. HH Dalai Lama's birthday is coming up next, i want to be in a chuba then! hee... then yesterday hazel and i took an our walk to pullahari monastery up in the hills to see the beautiful wall painting. it was so inspiring! and here is hazel taking a photo of 'pata' (decorative patterns) as she is learning how to draw them now. i really like this photo. and as for me, i need to study the buddha's face! i am still drawing buddha's face. my teacher said draw one more, and i can move on to learn buddha's body! YES!!!! i cant wait.. enjoying drinks at the cafe. feels so good looking at the huge clouds and cast sky...
and guess what! when we left the monastery, i saw my first rainbow in nepal! so very happy!!! its an auspicious sign! you can see each colour of the rainbow here so clearly and they are really fat. so nice.... it then started to drizzle and then pour! and we were still up in the hills... haha.. we were drenched despite having an umbrella each. but we had to walk before it turns dark as it takes an hour to get down. i really dun want to be walking in the dark. i really enjoyed the wet walk. getting my feet all dirty with mud and sand. haha.. oh have to show you this. living in countries like nepal, this is another common sight. its dead. its hard to eat meat here seeing all these on the streets... oh and this, this is what i was greeted by early in the morning as i opened the gate to go to school. haha.. she is licking herself. she and her baby are always roaming around the area. to be honest, i was a little scared. i was thinking which way i should walk, left or right. finally i chose to go my left. as i walked by slowly, nearer and nearer to her, i was looking at her.. but she isnt even a bit interested in me. haha.. phew... and her dung is everywhere. and they are huge! i have to be really careful especially in the evening, its pretty dark. acha-la stepped onto one the other time. haha..fits the size of your foot nicely! haha.. ok i am having my lunch now. mash potatoes and fruit salad. half an hour later, i will be back in school. its a cool day here today. it rained during the early hours of the day. the air is fresh. i wish all of you a fantastic week ahead! love you all...

school days again

2010-06-22T20:32:00.013+08:00

hello girls, how are you doing? i am really enjoying myself drawing and painting everyday. this is my new friend, hazel. from hong kong. she has been travelling in india, sri lanka for more than a year now. she arrived in nepal in apr and is now studying thangka too. she will be here for 2 months before travelling to bhutan. this is where we usually hangout when we need internet at saturday cafe, enjoying cakes and sorbet! the weather is so hot here. today i am having lemon sorbet. haha can you see what i am wearing today. hee... yesterday we decided to cook ourselves lunch. we have a 2 hr break you see.. and i was craving so much for bee hoon soup. the instant bee hoon i brought along with me. and hazel's friend brought her some lee kum kee sauce. oh this reminds me so much of my uni days in melbourne. haha.. we had beehoon soup with a pot of vege. we need lots of vitamin c. and my cheapo 3-in-1 coffee after lunch! YES! very important! we always feel so sleepy after the 2 hour lunch. so happy! oh btw, i am still drawing the buddha face. its my 8th day drawing buddha face. the more i draw the more difficult it gets. teacher said they used to draw buddha face for a month. tough tough... so i shall continue.. perfecting it. the path leading to the house i am staying. its about 7pm now.. i am going to my friend, tashi's house for dinner tonite. everyday is a simple day.
ok thats it for today. have a relaxing evening ahead. hugs. talk soon!

life in nepal begins..

2010-06-15T19:24:00.013+08:00

hello girls, how are you doing? i just finished class, i continued with the buddha face. drew my fourth buddha face this morning. i showed tenzin the headmaster and he said out of all of them, the first attempt is the best one! the shape of the face is good. actually its funny how the more i draw the more difficult i feel it is.. every single little detail counts. i find the jaw and the little chin most difficult and also to get the both eyes of the same size. oh i cant wait to start class again tmr!

anyway ok! today i thought i would introduce my tibetan family a bit more. Acha-la still has 5 other kids who are studying in dharmasala, india. tenzin yangkyi is the youngest of the six. and this is drolma the 9 yo famiy dog. to tenzin, its her siste

i pretty much have a schedule now. i wake up at 6:45am every morning, by then miss tenzin and her mom are already up, they wake up at 5am. haha.... people here wake up really early. we will have breakfast together at about 7:15am. its usually roti (like pita bread) and an omelette and tibetan milk tea (its salty tea. haha) this morning we had tsampa. then i will leave for school at 7:45am. about 5mins walk. passing by lots of rubbish... and stray dogs. two very common sights in nepal. after acha-la sent tenzin yangkyi off to school at 8:30am, she will go back home to prepare the rice noodles to bring it to her little street store to sell. its bascially sliced rice noodles with soya sauce and chilli. it is actually a snack introduced by the chinese in lhasa. its called 'la-phing' (i duno how to spell it but my friend told me its pronounced as 'laughing') haa... sometimes after school, i would drop by. and miss tenzin would be there after school to help her mom and also to play with the other kids. however, now when i am around, she can go home with me and we will have afternoon tea and play a bit. yesterday i bought a little cake, oh she really loves it. seeing her eating so happily, makes me really happy. lately we play a lot of colouring and 'photo-taking'. she would make a paper origami camera and pretend to take a photo of me, and then she would draw me and give me my 'photo' haha.. this is a nice drawing of me. haha.. to meifang, i have stopped using mineral water to wash my face and rinse my teeth. haha... you see, the bathing water in the house is yellowish, its earth water. and there is a smell to it. haha.. hm it doesnt look so yellow on the photo. so the first few days i was using mineral water for my face and teeth. however i stopped last weekend, well so far my face is fine, and i feel fine. so touch wood. this is the toilet. reminds me of my grandparents' house where i spent my childhood. excess water is always saved in pails to be used for different purposes. how lucky we are yeah, living in the rich countries. there are so many moments when i just feel so moved by the way the joy and innocence of the people here, and it feels especially touching when i am living with them. and i am living with baby cockroaches, and some mice in the kitchen. however the way acha-la says it, it seems perfectly fine to have mice in the kitchen. well, they are everywhere. even in the guesthouse i used to stay in, you can hear them sometimes but you duno where they are. haha... and there are 2 spiders in my room. my pet spiders. i keep saying out loud, as long as you guys dun harm me, dun come near me, we can live happily together. no problem. haha oh my dad and mom will faint if they know where i am living in now. i dun think everyone can 'tahan' this. this is the kitchen.
last nite i was lying on my bed, i am thinking maybe i am really crazy. what am i doing? haha.. but i am happily crazy or crazily happy. i feel at home. this is going to be my home and family at least till my exam next year.
ok! its about 6:40pm now, i want to go drop by acha-la's store and pick up miss tenzin to go home. ok thank you girls for reading! you have a great week ahead! i will blog again on fri. i think every tues and fri i will check my emails and blog. je-la-je-yong (see you soon in tib)!

tashi delek girls!

2010-06-13T16:21:00.013+08:00

hello girls how are you all? i miss the internet and blogging! look my first buddha face! my first day in class, my teacher gave me buddha face to draw! i am so happy! i thought i was doing more clouds or fire... when miss yangzom said 'ok you do buddha face' i was thrilled!!!! this is my new home here. i am staying with tenzin's sister and her 6yo daughter. this is how a typical tibetan house looks like. lots of thangkas and dalai lama's photos. : ) and this is my no.1 tibetan teacher, miss tenzin yangkyi. haha.. her english is sooooo good i am so impressed. she is also my translator (for her mom) haha. girls also wear pants to school. looks very smart. we always have breakfast together before school, she leaves at 8:30am, i leave at 8am. in the evening, she comes back at 4:30pm, i get back around 7pm (after hanging around with my other very 'professional' tibetan teachers at the other house, will blog about it later). watching cartoon and plucking vege. good habit.
my blue room. wall is blue, curtain is blue, bedsheet is blue. so i also bought a blue trim brocade table cloth for my little table. yeah! matching! plus that blue floral chiffon dress! haha.. oh today i get my first taste of tsampa! barley grinded into power, then mix with butter and tea, and you eat it like a dough. or like porridge. you can also put some sugar or grated cheese or curd (yogurt). it is the staple food for the tibetans. here you see, achala (meaning sister in tibetan) mixing the barley flour with cheese and sugar and butter for me. and then you use your hand and squeeze them into small bite size doughs. very fun food. it tastes like unbaked cookie dough. haha looks like meatball on this photo! haha.. ok i dun think i am going to get wi-fi at home. but i found this cafe, saturday cafe, which great view of the stupa and relatively fast internet connection. so i am happy. i will blog every tues during my lunch time. we have 2hr lunch, from 11:30 to 1:30pm. so thats good. please stay tuned!

ok i guess thats about it for now. you girls, cha po nang! (take care in tibetan). i am studying tibetan every nite, i have to. actually. i just asked my other teachers to teach me how to say 'i am not coming back for dinner' and 'i am coming home late tonite' and 'i have enough' that sort of things so that i can communicate with achala. lately i am having an overdosage of tibetan milk tea haha, when i say no, she thinks i am being shy (becos in tibetan culture its like that) so she start pouring again and again. so now i have learnt to say 'i am full, i cannot eat anymore' in tibetan. haha...

ok talk soon! jey la je yong! (see you soon!) love to all......

o

packing starts!

2010-06-07T21:40:00.002+08:00

one box of my favourite cheapo 3-in-1 coffee - checked.
sachets of milo - checked.
a pack of 5 instant bee hoon - checked. (realised they dun eat bee hoon, only lots of instant noodles)
japanese green tea - checked.
UV lotion for my face - checked (kim told me this is super important, if i dun wan any freckles (in the 6 years) as the sun there is very strong in summer. all low rise building nothing to block. hats, umbrella, anything to block the UV rays. haha...
favourite applewood tempo tissues 24packs - checked.
muji ruler - checked. the 1cm by 1cm square box marked on it makes it great when doing calculations for drawing buddha's face. special tip from kim. : )
powerful fine brushes - checked. all the time, i was using cheap way too soft nepalese brushes (which i am blaming on for my terrible looking outlines) haha.. this time, i hope with the help of these more professional brushes, i can impress all... hehehe..

oh ok let me go continue.... i dun want to miss out anything this trip.

NEW IN preview!

2010-06-06T21:02:00.009+08:00

hey girls! here are whats new for this week! also our last launch before the one month break. (the next new launch would be in july) OK for this week we did a special WORK TUNICS! as we understand sometimes you just dunno what to wear for work, and having to think of which top to match which bottom. so hopefully this selection of simple one-pieces is able to help you a bit, especially on that monday morning! just put these on, maybe add on a belt and off you go!

we have included 2 belts just in case you need something to go with the tunics. comes in off-white and black. easy to match! hope you like them!
look out for them, first thing tomorrow morning! at JUST ARRIVED at kyurii.com. also, we appreciate payment to be made immediately after purchase so that we can deliver them to you by thur. thank you very much.

also, dont forgot to check out our special BUY 5 AT S$19.90 EACH sale promotion! combined postage helps you save some money. thanks!

Kyurii Sale - Last chance!

2010-06-06T11:22:00.007+08:00

hello girls good morning! as some of you might already know that we will be taking a break in the month of june, and originally it was planned on the 15th, but it has to be pushed forward (i think leekeng's baby cant wait to come out haha) to this thursday! so before we bid each other a temporary farewell, we are giving a huge promotion on top of the sale. buy 5 items at S$19 each! for this last 3 days. we need your cooperation, please make payment immediately after you purchased so that we can get to work rightaway. we only have 3 days to work. leekeng will be going into hospital on friday. please allow her some time to rest and not have to work till the minute she goes and deliver. haha.. we would greatly appreciate that all payment are made on the day of purchase. so that we are able to mail out all your items by thurs. thank you so much.

ok please stay tuned LAST 3 DAYS SALE at kyurii.com! oh i just realised they are up! ok! please go now! the latest promotion is already up! thanks! oops sorry i just realised i made a mistake. leekeng just informed me that it should be S$19.90 each. not S$19.

counting down!!!!

2010-06-05T21:21:00.006+08:00

3 more days! oh now i am getting excited... as i am finishing my work over here and school is starting for me next thur! painting and drawing from morning till evening. YES! precious 2 months. i must study hard. i just received an email from one of my schoolmates asking me when i will be back, haha i am going to just appear in school and give them all a surprise. now only close friends over there know i will be back next tues. haha they must miss me... haha (not shy) oh i miss them too.

yippee!!!

oh leekeng also counting down. little one is coming out sooner than expected! haha... i will start school on the 10th, and little one will greet this world on the 11th! yeah!!!!

more sale items!

2010-06-03T13:35:00.016+08:00

919-KYU002-009 TIERED RUFFLES 3/4 SLEEVE CARDIGAN WAS S$39. NOW S$25.90
919-KYU003-009 LOOSE FITTING OPEN SHOULDER TRANSLUCENT FLOWY BLOUSE WAS S$32. NOW S$25.90
947-09MAR SPE-2.1 RUFFLED LACE TIE FRONT VEST WAS S$39. NOW S$22.90
928-0824-009 SLIM CUT SLIP ON STRETCHABLE JEANS WAS S$39. NOW S$26.90
928-0824-009 SLIM CUT SLIP ON STRETCHABLE JEANS WAS S$29. NOW S$22.90
912-1233-009 STRETCHABLE LEGGING WITH LITTLE SHINE AND ZIP AT SIDE WAS S$22. NOW S$16.90
920-1016-009 DRAPING SIDES BUTTON FRONT CAP SLEEVES CARDIGAN WAS S$36. NOW S$16.90!

920-1016-009 DRAPING SIDES BUTTON FRONT CAP SLEEVES CARDIGAN WAS S$26. NOW S$15.90!
925-0915-109 CHECKED FRONT TIE STRING DRESS WAS S$22. NOW S$15.90!
928-0826-009 GEOMETRIC SLEEVELESS DRESS WAS S$32. NOW S$18.90!

932-0704-009 SLEEVELESS DRAWSTRING LOOSE FIT DRESS WAS S$32. NOW S$16.90!

933-0652-009 SPLASH PAINT PRINT OVERSIZED RACER BACK TANK DRESS WAS S$29. NOW S$14.90!
938-0513-009 PRINTED TRAPEZE CUT CHIFFON VEST WITH EMBROIDERY TRIM WAS S$32. NOW S$16.90!
938-0513-009 PRINTED TRAPEZE CUT CHIFFON VEST WITH EMBROIDERY TRIM WAS S$32. NOW S$16.90!

time to leave the city behind..

2010-06-02T23:35:00.004+08:00

yeah! went to pay for my ticket today. leaving next tues. back to painting back to school! just had hotpot with some ex-colleagues.. feel so full now. not a good feeling. they were asking me to eat more eat more before i go to nepal. haha..
yeah! now i am aiming to finish all my work before sat... hopefully. then i can start packing. this trip is by far the longest stay for me, last few trips i always do 1 month, this time its for 2 months.
oh i feel so tired now.. i slept at almost 3am last nite i think. but i feel too full to bath, too full to lie down... too full to do anything.. help..

some of my favourite items

2010-06-01T15:47:00.023+08:00

under S$12.90 items! 923-0931-009 STRAIGHT CUT MIX SKIRT / GREY WAS S$36. NOW S$12.90 you may like to try it with this new ribbed tank top 897-0521-110 RIBBED TANK TOP WITH GOLD BEAD EMBELLISHMENT / BLACK (LAST PC) dont worry if you cant get the last black piece, we just got in more for the white one now available! 925-0913-009 'PARIS PARIS' COTTON TEE / DARK BLUE WAS S$22. NOW S$11.90 925-0916-009 VERY SOFT COTTON RECTANGULAR SCARF / LIGHT BEIGE WAS S$22. NOW S$12.90 929-0810-009 V NECK FRONT PLEATS SHORT SLEEVE TEE / PALE YELLOW WAS S$29. NOW S$12.90 932-0703-009 GIRL PRINT SHORT SLEEVE TEE / WHITE WAS S$29. NOW S$12.90 maybe try the one-pc with this black lace up belt (last pc) and match with simple black legging. 944-0410-009 LACE TIER TRIM CROPPED VEST WAS S$29. NOW S$12.90 i really like this look. try it over this new knitted tunic! i think it will look very nice too. 936-0621-209 STRAPPY KNOT DETAIL COTTON TANK TOP / BLUE WAS S$26. NOW S$12.90 this deep blue tank i think will go well with this light grey skinny too, PLUS A SLING! haha.. or a new shoulder bag! hint hint: these new pieces will be up next week. it will be our last launch before our break. we will be doing a special one-piece office wear series. stay tuned.

meanwhile, have fun browsing through everything at KYURII SALE now! and keep mix and match-ing! clashing! it doesnt always have to be the same old tank with same old skinny. mess things up a bit and dress out of your wardrobe (haha i made this up, they always say think out of the box, when it comes to dressin up, maybe we should all dress out of our wardrobe. wardrobe also looks like a box yeah.. hehe) sometimes shaking loose of our regular patterns, habits is the best way to re-discover ourselves. and we will be amazed at what we find, buried deep within us. our innate quality, like a diamond in the rough waiting to shine!!!

have a lovely evening ahead!

KYURII SALE TODAY!

2010-05-31T10:56:00.004+08:00

OOPS! hi girls! haha the SALE STARTS TODAY! i just got an email from leekeng! not tomorrow, sorry! aiya always launch on tues ma.. plus my memory failing.. haha.. OK OK so GO NOW TO KYURII.COM!!!
quick quick!

kyurii announcement

2010-05-30T13:13:00.002+08:00

hello girls! happy sunday! we are currently preparing for our BIG MID YEAR SALE! it will start this coming tues! please stay tuned for the latest news. thank you. have a great sunday!

my first mani stone!

2010-05-29T20:00:00.004+08:00

yeah i just painted my first mani stone! i think its not too bad, my first attempt at tibetan script... yeah make a nice paper weight. so happy!

shopping for pebbles

2010-05-29T18:49:00.006+08:00

hello girls hows your weekend so far? i just got home, drenched! haha purified! the rain finally came! i feel so happy walking in the rain back home carrying a bag of stones! so heavy. haha.. after brunch today, margie and i went hiking to the other side of lamma, and on our way back to yung shue wan village, we stopped by power station beach to look at the pebbles and stones, and we end up bringing home a bag of stones each! hee.... one really looks like a ciabatta bread with one side flat! i want to paint some mantra like 'om mani padme hum' on the stones and get them blessed. mani stones make nice gifts. oh but i must make sure the tibetan letters are written correctly. haha... ok i go wash the pebbles now! talk soon.

Backorders available!

2010-05-29T00:07:00.018+08:00

hello girls! yeah i am preparing to go back to school while leekeng is preparing for delivery. she just told me her hospital bag is already packed, haha but my school bag is not packed yet. haha.. well, that means we will be having a break soon, tentatively we have decided for it to start from 15 June till 15 July. no launch during this time but hopefully i find a nice room to rent with good stable internet then in kathmandu becos i would like to be filling you up with my life there! yes!

ok today i went to get extra stocks for these items! both black and white are sold out earlier but now available!
897-0517-210 PIN TUCK AT SHOULDER CARDIGAN / WHITE
also this ribbed top, backorder for the white one is now available!
897-0521-210 RIBBED TANK TOP WITH GOLD BEAD EMBELLISHMENT / WHITE
black one selling fast..
897-0521-110 RIBBED TANK TOP WITH GOLD BEAD EBELLISHMENT / BLACK
today i find myself asking the question, SHALL I CUT MY FRINGE? again haha.... oh i am getting more excited about going back. this trip i need to bring more day to day stuff, like my own bedsheet, so tempted to bring my fav pillow too, my fav cup, things that would make me feel more at home. this time i am going to find a room to rent for a year at least, to save costs (guesthouses are too expensive on the long run) then i can bring over more stuff and chuck them there. hee... create another home in kathmandu. i also plan to stay with my friend's amala (mom in tibetan) in pharping (in the mountain) whenever i am free to really do a retreat. i think a silent retreat probably, with lots of sign language. haha becos she is tibetan and my tibetan is hopeless still. but maybe once i start staying with the locals, there will be a miracle! oh i am excited about setting up another base camp in nepal. i am definitely neglecting the one in singapore lately. haha..

anyhow. i am planning to leave 8th june and start school on the 10th. therefore this coming week is all work for me! counting down.. ok goodnite girls. sim ja nang! (means sleep comfortably in tibetan).

oops sorry i forgot to mention that all the jumpsuits that are sold out are completely sold out here too. so we are not able to get any more backorders. thank you.

nirvana day

2010-05-27T13:10:00.016+08:00

hello girls, today (for tibetans) or tomorrow (for some south east asian countries) we celebrate the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha. informally, it is called the 'Buddha's birthday' but it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment and passing away (parinirvana in sanskrit, which means the final nirvana, which occurs upon the death of the body of someone who has attained complete awakening). here, we called it vesak (in sinhalese language, sanskrit is 'vaisakha'), tibetan call it 'saga dawa', japanese call it 'hanamatsuri' (花祭), and 'Buddha Purnima' in india, nepal and bangladesh. anyway all the same. but the dates varies according to the different calendars.

what happened today about 2500 years ago, in 483 BCE (before common era)...

''Forty-five years had passed since the Lord Buddha's enlightenment, and the Blessed One was 80 years old. He and his monks were staying in the village of Beluvagamaka (or Beluva), which was near the present-day city of Basrah, Bihar state, northeast India. It was the time of the monsoon rains retreat, when the Buddha and his disciples stopped traveling.

One day the Buddha asked the monks to leave and find other places to stay during the monsoon. He would remain in Beluvagamaka with only his cousin and companion, Ananda. After the monks had left, Ananda could see that his master was ill...... '' read the whole story

hopefully in future, i can make a thangka accounting this significant day.

"All composite things pass away. Strive for your own liberation with diligence." - Buddha's last words.

dearest pak pak and his lettuces

2010-05-25T19:04:00.014+08:00

oh girls i just got back from the village, i am so happy! finally the lettuce that i have been waiting and waiting for... they are harvested! and i just bought some from 'pak pak'. guess what... it takes almost a month for lettuce to grow till they can be harvested. for so many weeks i have seen the little lettuces growing and growing... and if i see 'pak pak' i will ask him if they are ready.. each time he would say 'no ar... it takes almost a month ga.' with utmost patience. every time i go out to the city, i have to pass by the farm and each time, the lettuces grow bigger and bigger and look juicer and juicer.... this is taken 2 weeks ago.
last few days i also bought lettuce from the supermarket, i just wash them and ate them. but this evening, i really look at every piece of the leaves as i rinse them, with total appreciation and awareness (hey i am not exaggerating here. i seriously paid them my fullest attention.) they look gorgeous (they actually are more curvy. haha) oh how true they say when you have to wait for something, you appreciate them more.

oh thank you pak pak, for continuing to farm which allow us fortunate people in lamma to buy fresh vege straight from the farm. and also, to have the opportunity to watch them grow.

this little experience i had with the lettuces coincide with a book i am reading now 'true perception - the path of the dharma art' by chogyam trungpa rinpoche.
' people have to realize how things are made and produced, how they happen to be so beautiful, so lovely. once something is at its best, its fruition, we tend to neglect that.... whether you are the greatest artist who has already made your name and made a good contribution to the world, or at the beginning's level, we have to realize how difficult it is to start the whole thing. we have to work with the ground, path and fruition levels together..... we have to have some respect for the people who work hard on such situations. we cannot simply say 'things are fine, convenient, therefore i might as well take advantage of it, as long as i have money.''

this also made me think of producing a thangka drawing. esp in the old days where colours have to be grinded from stones or greenery or minerals. like in the book says 'before you get into your fancy work as artists, you have to know the pain and the misery or maybe deny it, that is involved in producing such a work of art.'

now the process is already made easy (at least we dun have to grind stones) but still, whenever i think of having to go through the procedures of treating the piece of cotton (it takes 2 days) before we can paint on it, it gives me headaches. i really think why cant someone come up with 'ready made treated cotton already handsewn onto that bamboo frame' for me to straightaway start my painting. hahaha... you know like one of those mounted canvas thing you can get straight from an art shop. 'i have money i can buy it!' but so sorry it is not available. haha.. you have to do it step by step on your own... woah!
oh great i found a picture of jerome preparing the cotton. it still needs to sit under the sun before progressing to the next step. i know my patience would be truly tested in the years to come..
so now i will always be reminded of pak pak's hard work whenever i come across moments when i get frustrated on the long tedious process of producing thangka (which i am sure there will be plenty).

living in the 21st century a world of conveniences, lets learn to appreciate how things we already took for granted, the simplest things still do take a lot of work to be produced. like toilet paper or like toothbrush. the bristles.. oh my gosh... i dun even know where to start with that. towel from the sheep.. omg..

ok dearest lettuce, i am going to eat you with gratitude tonight and will make a special dedication before dinner later.

NEW IN!!!!!!!

2010-05-25T13:50:00.028+08:00

hello girls good morning!!!! how is everyone? here is the lovely cardigan, oh i hope you like it too. thumbs up up up!

which do you like better? white one can go with black stuff... here is the small sling bag. i think it will look really cool with a pair of worn out denim shorts and a tee, complete with shades and sandals. this week, we are having some fun with playsuits and jumpsuits. its fun to dress them up. like with a corset belt, under a jacket, over a tank top. i really like how this black tank top turns out with the floral playsuit! i also like our earlier cropped jacket over it. you may also try a black ankle legngth legging under the playsuit on a cooler day, with a wide belt. sweep your hair into a neat ponytail. go for a smart sleek look, oh yes dun forget to accessorize with that sling bag! and with black ballerina pumps i like. and also bring along a little cropped tailored jacket. haha.. ok can you visualise it? this other playsuit also surprised me. i was thinking to buy or not, i really like the fabric and the pattern. then my supplier kept telling me its doing so well i have to get it. haha... i quite thinking if you girls will like it. i think i must have stayed in the shop for a while, becos she went off to buy her lunch and when she was back, i was still there trying to decide.. hehe... and she laughed at me. so in the end, i got it. also becos another buyer came and ask for extra stocks for this jumpsuit. haha... for a change, its nice! if not its always tops and bottoms.. gets a little boring at times. and i love this one too! ok black one. nice and sexy yah.. bare back... haha... and also this one! LOVE! its like the harem pants.. actually it is. but i wore it as a tube harem dress i call it. i am going to bring this to nepal with me! but i wont wear it like this, it would be a distraction to the monks in school.. hahaha... maybe over a tank top or t-shirt, yes. we also included 2 basic ribbed tanks with a little something (then you dun have to think of how to accessorize! good for lazy people like me at times). these items are flexible to go with your skinnies or you can also wear them for work. we like items like these, totally practical.
hm goes so well with the black zigzag cardigan! haha sorry but i really think so. and with a pair of skinny. thats what i like to be in! hehe.. very me! very the 'me' in the city. not at all the 'me' in developing countries.. haha... i have 2 sides! oh... tibetan chuba and skinny jeans.
hahaha funny.. when i see myself in chuba now. so feminine... haha. ok one more jumpsuit. a sweet one in brown. this one is also nice. try it! wear something you wouldnt normally wear and discover a new side of yourself! have fun at WWW.KYURII.COM ok i am going to do my laundry and then get some groceries at the village and enjoy a great sunny day here on lamma. prayer flags flying, butterflies dancing, the frangipani flowers blooming!
have a beautiful day and week ahead girls. hugs to you!

This Week lets jump and play!

2010-05-24T19:15:00.005+08:00

this playsuit can also double as a pair of wide culottes too. you will see it on the photos when they are up. the black tank top which i wore here is also one of our new items this week. look out for it too.
i love this sexy black jumpsuit. its very well made! and try out the printed jumpsuit, i like to dress it up a little by having a little tailored cardigan (or bolero) over it. matched with heels. and yes i found a nice small quilted sling bag! a black one. look out for all of them. i am working on the layouts now, hopefully i can finish them by tonite. and be up tomorrow morning.

stay tuned on WWW.KYURII.COM for these new arrivals plus that cardigan i wore earlier. highly recommended item! ok talk soon.

woohoo! i feel my energy again!

2010-05-24T13:30:00.006+08:00

hello girls! i just finished shooting. oh today i really feel what clothes can do to a person... haha.. i have been so lazy to dress up for the past weeks actually. you know that 'just cant be bothered' feeling (dun feel like doing any things except read and sleep, thats for me).
i am sure all of us get that from time to time. this morning i literally had to pysche myself up to put some make up on (come on, get this done and then i can do my favourite things..) haha... and magic happens as i went along (psycho-ing myself)! very soon, i was looking into the mirror at my made up face and the playsuit i was wearing, thinking 'hm not bad, i look quite nice' (becos i was so not concerned with how i look lately that i kind of forgot how i look haha) and its true they say when you look good, you feel good! haha.. my energy for other things came back! hee....

i bought this cute memo pad last week. exactly how i feel today. haha... dozens of chubas (tibetan traditional dress) plus different clothes for different looks! a contented smile on my face, just like her...
and the shoot went really well with my favourite chants on! so what i learn today is, sometimes even though we feel so lazy to dress up, if we actually get past that feeling and really do it, it actually it can be very beneficial, it helps liven us up and give us the energy (which was somehow missing at that point in time). oh clothes and make up... how can a girl do without them (balanced with books and paint brushes for me). haha..

longing....

2010-05-23T12:14:00.008+08:00

hello girls how are you? i am finding it hard to get started on work becos my heart is yearning to be in nepal or dharamsala. to be near the friends and teachers over there. so much longing (that i am feeling a little sick sorethroat and running nose... maybe due to the weather and an overdose of buddhist philosophy..haha i am feeling fatigue) its been slightly more than a month since i got back from dharamsala (but it feels like a long time!!) i am happy here in hk but i long to go back.... my classmate just wrote to tell me school is starting 29 May. i may join anytime.

so i would either leave 8 June to nepal then maybe drop by dharamsala (northern india) in between. OR i will leave 18 june straight to dharamsala first then to kathmandu (becos jet airways has a promo on kathmandu via delhi and the food and service is sooooo good as compared to nepal airlines which i normally take to kathmandu) PLUS PLUS PLUS, the air stewards on jet look like dashing bollywood stars! tall, dark and handsome! haha... or maybe i was lucky to be served by very cute ones on my last flight hahahaa.... ok honestly they are really cute but it is not deciding factor to take jet airways for me la. haha...

What I Wear Today!

2010-05-21T21:23:00.009+08:00

check out my new cardigan! hehe.... well it could also be your new cardigan too. i really like it. it looks good over a pair of jeans or denim shorts, or over a work dress. its truly a very flexible piece. very good in quality too. its coming up next week. 900-0419-010 ZIP FRONT DRESS WITH DETACHABLE STRAPS S$39
NOW S$29! (becos we are having our VIP SALE is going on!
its one of my favourite dress. i thought it would be sold out pretty fast but hm... funny. its very well made girls. please dont miss it. : )
898-0509-010 LEATHER RUFFLE BELT WITH ELASTIC BACK / BLACK S$14.90.

someone walked by while i was taking this photo so i pretended to be adjusting my hair.. and my face was cropped off. i didnt want to take another one, so embarassing i think he knows i am taking my own photo. ar.... i have to live with this.... you know in this little village kind of living.. words do get around easily.. ar... : P

JUST FOR YOU!

2010-05-17T13:50:00.004+08:00

good morning girls! go now to WWW.KYURII.COM and check it out! thank you!

we would like to take this opportunity to say special thanks go out to juliet, lizhen, yingying, gladys,olympia, katherine, caijin, kachee, nora,melanie, natalie, karen, deborah, pei pei,nicole, avril, adeline, huishi, ain, siling,bella, lye hoon, yvonne, dana, pamela, joanne, and i am sure there are some names which we may forget to mention here (please forgive us), thank you all for your continuous support and kindness. some of you since the day we started.

special thanks to jiahui, who is our customer-turned-kyurii family member who has been helping us so much with our flea market and also day to day work. thank you so very much.

oh i feel i just concluded my oscar thank you speech. hahaha...

Kyurii 4th Anniversary VIP SALE!

2010-05-16T23:26:00.012+08:00

hi girls, how are you? on a sunday night.. this weekend seems to fly. ok heres some announcement:
KYURII IS 4 YEARS OLD!
can you believe it... sometimes i cant. haha.. time flies! we started in may 2006. oh sometimes when i look at my posts then, it feels like i am reading about my past life or something. haha.. it has been am very enjoyable 4 years. SO WE ARE HAVING A SPECIAL VIP SALE this coming tuesday as a little way to say a big:

THANK YOU TO EACH ONE OF YOU, SO VERY MUCH for the love and support we have always received from you.

there are times which have been difficult (especially this year when the prices for everything has increased significantly; our business has been affected and we have both cut our salary to a bare basic but we are still happy) and also with me starting the thangka school and leekeng with her second child coming in june, sometimes we feel we do not know how to manage... and honestly, we have to admit we are not very good business people we realised. haha... i think with 4 years, there are many others who will be doing so much better than we are. but nonetheless, we hope to continue to try our best to serve you well. kyurii is still around only because of you. you girls are the driving force.
sending you love... i saw this leaf vine hanging down right in the middle of the path as i was rushing for the ferry. so sweet.. brighten my day. also reminds me to always have loving kindness in our hearts (especially in hard times), with a kind heart, comes the inner strength that is needed to deal with any difficulty.
OK so look out for the announcement email from miss kyurii on this VIP SALE sometime tomorrow. we have specially made some of our newer items (this month and last month) on sale for you this time! ok thank you again. sweet dreams.

Items updates!

2010-05-14T12:38:00.015+08:00

hi girls, i went out yesterday to try to get extra stocks for this lace dress. sorry all sold out. both grey and black.
also, i checked on this broderie lace dress. also no more stocks. so hurry! this is the LAST PIECE left! this sweet dress which i love, also LAST PIECE left! dont miss becos stocks are going really fast lately over here. this one also LAST PIECE left! grab.. haha.. oh i was just told this girl blush tee also sold out, please EMAIL LEEKENG if you would like one! thank you. its friday! i know many of you are probably waiting for this day! it has been quite an exhausting week for me as well. my mind is being torn apart thinking and studying on the 3 books (a collection of Padmasambhava's advice to Yeshe Tsogyal) i just bought. i cant stop reading. i am deeply and positively stirred by what is written inside, which gave rise to many sleepless nights and finally last nite i gave in, and decided to write to teacher to ask for guidance. haha.. one of my fav past times is investigating these buddhist concepts using my own experiences (or what i hear from people around us). in this way, it gives me full conviction of how life works from a buddhist's point of view of coz. currently i am in the midst of trying to prove 'life is illusory' to myself. tough one. haha.. might sound a little boring to some of you. sorry. anyway. oh i am actually feeling a little fatigue right now as i write.. i need to just let my mind rest...

have a great weekend ahead! hugs! WWW.KYURII.COM goodies coming for our dear loyal customers. we will announce this weekend! please stay tuned ok... talk soon.

What I Wear Today!

2010-05-12T18:45:00.006+08:00

went to the post office to post some stuff to meifang. haha.. vain.. i wore my turquiose dangling earrrings (normally only worn with the tibetan dress).
899-0507-010 BLOTCHY PRINT SHORT SLEEVE TEE / PURPLE S$29
900-0321-010 WIDE WEAVED LEATHER BELT / BROWN S$14.50! we got in extra stocks for those who emailed us about it. you can get it directly from the website now. thank you.

NEW ARRIVALS! up now!

2010-05-12T12:07:00.021+08:00

898-0516-010 FALLING PETALS BUTTON FRONT KNITTED CARDIGAN / BEIGE S$32! selling quite fast currently... 898-0515-010 FLOWER BLOTCHY SHORT SLEEVE TUNIC / PALE PINK
S$28!
898-0514-210 LACE DRAPE NECK SLEEVELESS PENCIL SHIFT DRESS / BLACK (SOLD OUT)
S$39!
898-0514-110 LACE DRAPE NECK SLEEVELESS PENCIL SHIFT DRESS / GREY (SOLD OUT) S$39. sorry both are sold out. pls email leekeng if you really want one. we will see what we can do.
898-0511-010 CHECKED ASYMMETRIC HEM FLARE SKIRT / PURPLE S$36! last few pcs left..
898-0513-010 BLUSH GIRL PRINT SHORT SLEEVE TEE / BLACK S$26! last piece! please email leekeng if you cant get hold of it. thank you!
898-0512-010 SAFETY PIN PRINT DROP WAIST TUNIC / LIGHT GREY S$32! going fast..
898-0510-010 BRODERIE LACE CAP SLEEVE DRESS / BEIGE
S$39! few pcs left... goes well with the belt! i think.. haha...
898-0509-010 LEATHER RUFFLE BELT WITH ELASTIC BACK / BLACK S$14.90! leekeng said its selling very fast!!! haha! 898-0508-010 LACE UP CORSET BELT WITH SNAP BUTTON FASTENING BEHIND / BLACK
S$14.90! leekeng also said its selling very fast!!! honestly i really like the 2 belts. they are very well made, at S14.90 its a steal! hard sell also must say! hee...

More preview of tomorrow's new items!

2010-05-10T23:12:00.004+08:00

ok i am back with more preview! oh i love this orange wall and garden and my drop waist cotton tunic.. but please make sure you are wearing a pair of hot pants underneath. i like wearing it on its own without legging but the problem is, when the wind you have to be careful. but what to do, i like it short and sassy! hehe... all the new items you see here will be up tomorrow morning! by 9am!!!! NEW IN at www.kyurii.com
tomorrow 9am! check out that lace up belt and ruffle belts ok.. i really like them i hope you do too!

hahahahaha preview preview!!!

2010-05-10T18:00:00.018+08:00

why so fat?! but still, my b&W cat looks so cute. i already tried to elongate the photo a little to make both us look a bit thinner but still, his tummy.... aw... he looks so sweet (check out his tail, its always nicely twirled round his legs whenever he sits. haha)

OK GIRLS! new belts and dresses fit for work all coming up tomorrow morning! i will be posting more preview as i go along tonite. i hope everyone is doing well on this rainy monday, i think both in hk and singapore. stay tuned...

p.s. to meifang, ok i put credit for you la.. even though poor thing, you are in shanghai you cant get onto blogger. hopefully you can get some freelance as a fashion photographer ar.. hahaha. but seriously thank you so much for taking the time to shoot for me, it makes my job so much easier. i didnt know you actually captured this pose. i think i only did it for a sec. you are quick, sharp and fantastic. pls fly over and help us again whenever you are free (even though we cant affford your fees, but i can make you another painting. then when i become a famous thangka painter in the far future, oh.. you never know.. hehe... good deal yah)
p.s. he actually remained on the table throughout the shoot, sleeping haha... with the black at underneath.

What I Wear Today!

2010-05-09T18:02:00.008+08:00

hehe... on my way to empty my trash then to out to central to get some books this morning. i love that new belt. its actually a shoe lace tie corset belt but i wore it the other way here becos i want less details against the already printed top. it wil be up this coming tuesday. we have 2 belts altogether. lately i just love a belted look. and many tunics now are so suitable for belting. ok please look out!
for now, you may like to check this out! i have been wearing this top quite a bit. just discovered some similar stuff at topshop.com haha...

i would like to go back to school soon!

2010-05-07T01:33:00.007+08:00

hello girls, how are you tonite? i just got home. have been taking the 11:30pm ferry back for the past 2 nights, tomorrow is the last day of the 3 day public talk on 'spiritual values in our modern world' i have been attending. it has been most inspiring. i learnt a lot.

oh you know.. i originally planned to go back to nepal end of may to find a place to rent and then start school in june. stay till july. come back to hk for a month in aug. and then go back again in sep and oct. but becos of the maoist protest that is going on now, i might have to delay my trip. woah... i spoke to some of my school mates to find out about the situation there. the protest that start may 1st is on for an indefinite period. WOAH! many roads are blocked. shops are closed. most of my friends are staying within the monastery, not going out. the protestors are messing around right in town. WOAH WOAH WOAH! my hand is so itchy.. i really feel like drawing, in school everyday 8 to 4pm, without distraction. well, i really hope that everything will end in peace and soon. i hope to be there by mid june. becos i am worried i will fail my exam next mar. i need to accumulate at least 5-6 mths of class hours to sit for exam (for foreigners becos of visa problems, we are allow to do so) and we must be extra diligent and a little talent does help (hehe..) most of my tibetan classmates have 10 mths of school per year. till now, i have only learnt leaf, bud, lotus, cloud and fire. but we are tested on the buddha and tara (female buddha) head. AH!!!!!! but i know i can do it. hee.. this weekend, i really want to get down and draw. i just gave my no. 6 lotus to meifang, my good friend who just visited me. i counted altogether, i drew 7 lotuses as gifts for friends. this is the 7th lotus i painted for HH Ogyen Trinley Dorje 17th Karmapa. i am so fortunate to be able to give it to him personally and i was told he really likes it. it makes me want to study thangka diligently. sometimes when i think about it, how this for fun thangka class thing is transforming into something much more serious now. when i first started learning, i never thought of taking exam and completing the 6 years. but now as i watch how things unfold in the most spontaneous and natural way, it seems to be taking this direction. and i will always remember what Tai Situ Rinpoche told me, 'when you start something, you finish it.' he had spoken right into my heart. i bought some lotus. kim and i in front of the school monastery, shechen monastery. we must be monks or nuns or tibetans in our past lives. for every one month of city life, i would long to be back for 2 months. haha.. i was back last month 18th, its about time. haha..

NEW IN! this week!

2010-05-04T20:42:00.028+08:00

hello girls! how are you? first of all, i promised meifang, my friend to give her the credits. all photography this launch is by our special guest photographer, flown in from shanghai. haha.. she is actually my secondary school mate who was working in taiwan earlier, now working in shanghai in the construction industry who has an avid interest in photography.

we were shooting around the house. haa i am quite self conscious! haha... everytime there is some people walking by, we would pretend to be talking. hehe.. we discovered quite a number of nice spots. oh i like the 'Chen' family letterbox.. haa.. i also like the lace tank top. you can match with your working skirt. i like it with a pair of skinny. simple and easy.
this flower print smock tunic, nice.
you can put on a cropped jacket and ballerina flats. i think it will look really nice. i like its high waist. cute. next, i like this tee! long tee. i like the prints, butterflies around a flower garland. the white with light denim skinny is also a good combination for summer!
sleeping eyes print puff sleeve tee. i love it! haha... this is taken on the hike. try also with faded grey skinny. i like the mauvey grey tee colour combined with the pale grey of the skinny.
or what about this with a black pencil skirt? i think it can be quite cute too. something fun for work. tuck it in add on a wide belt. i really like how the sleeves look when worn. haha here is a behind-the-scene photo. share a story with you. that morning, we were greeted by a centipede!! in the house. we were so scared! its summer, and ground floor... i was already warned to be careful of them. and then i saw one crawling across the kitchen floor. length of my index finger. it looks horrible! then it re-appeared on my curtain near the ceiling, i didnt know they can climb. so me and meifang co-ordinated our moves a couple of times haha.., she with the broom and me with the slipper. she will sweep it down and i will give it a knock (to slow down its action) and then sweep into dustpan and throw it outside into the bush. we dun want to kill it. oh my gosh i even have to say a mantra before that to calm ourselves.. haha... so in this photo, i was still a little paranoid. there is a hole in the wall, and somehow the centipede came into my mind again! ah!!!! and my dear friend caught this on camera. so this is not posed ok. i was really scared at that moment. hahaha... oh after we got rid of the centipede, i put out a message to all the sentient beings that i dun wan to kill them, i wont harm them and i dun want them to harm me, so i hope we dun see each other anymore especially in this house.
and oh 2 weeks ago, i have a dead baby frog in my house! i duno how it got in.. but the cats obviously had some fun with it. the frog's tummy burst. ah!!!!!!!!!! i had to pluck up so much courage to clear its corpse, chanting 'om mani padme hum' continuously. haha....
okok lets change the mood. here is a sweet pretty flower dress for a sunny weekend! i decide to get something blue, usually my first choice of a flower print dress would be pink or purple. but this light blue one surprised me. it makes me feel bright and cheery when i put it on. yes i like it.
my favourite this week, this knitted tunic. and you like my new cheap sandals? haha... i also like it with a slouchy hip length cardigan worn over. tonite i am going for a workshop, i think i will wear this fringe cardigan.
ok enjoy the day and enjoy the clothes girls! for 3 nights, i have a 3hr seminar on 'spiritual values in our modern world' by Dzongsar Rinpoche which i am really looking forward to. if anyone has read the book 'what makes you not a buddhist', well, he is the author of the book. i hope to get his autograph. haha.. he is also a film director of 'The Cup' ( a movie about little monks and soccer).

ok girls, talk soon. you can find all the NEW ITEMS at www.kyurii.com now. love to all, kiss kiss.

NEW IN preview! up this wednesday!

2010-05-03T21:43:00.000+08:00

What I Wear Today!

2010-05-02T21:52:00.019+08:00

today we went hiking. my legs are aching so much now... and i am sooo tired and sleepy. too much activities lately... today she was my photographer so happy, we were shooting the new items around the house. haha.. NEW NEW NEW! coming up this wednesday!
the little garden right outside my house, is created by all of us living around this area. it started by the previous owner of my house, she put a buddha head, then slowly neaigbours start adding other stuff. the deer is my contribution. hee...
so many mosquitoes!
after shooting around the house, we walked to the other side of the island. i like the fan palm outside this house. also like the simple decor with the cat. i like this house too. so many interesting houses on lamma. red flowers everywhere... mosquito bites everywhere too.. haha there is 1 on each elbow, and more on my legs! ah.. my favourite house at pak kok village. small house with a great patio and great view. and beautiful bougainvilla...
great sunset....
i was trying to see if anyone is inside.. there is some furniture but it looked like it has been vacant for some time. the last time i saw a caucasian guy living there. i love lamma. thank you meifang for being the photographer for this coming launch! girls watch out THIS WEDNESDAY! the new items you see here, will be up then! ok i need to go to bed now.. my eyes are closing just like those on the tee.. haha..