Inspiration | The Year That Was 2022

Time feels like a form of betrayal, cheating passed moments, minutes and seconds and we have arrived at the end when the beginning was merely a glimpse of what could have been. 2022 unfolded with such grace, ease, amidst challenges, learnings, growth and self revelation. 

We wish it could have been kinder, gentler but life is not made up of "could have been" but rather moving into the flow, as how we see fit. 

We build upon a stronger character, shield ourselves from here onwards with more tenacity and strength to withstand it all. Loneliness is but a beautiful painting after all, a picturesque view to behold. Wish could go away with you.

Let 2023 be more meaningful and fulfilling, in all aspects of life, for everyone.

Be brave, be beautiful and just be YOU.

 

Double Si · 爱吧定律 (Law of Love) - 郁可唯 （爱的二八定律 电视剧情感插曲 OST） She and Her Perfect Husband OST

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] Distancing

Life took a detour and arrived at a place with no name, no identity, no words could have ever described how deserted this stop looks like, an island without visitors. 2020 was, and still is remarkably unbelievable and truly unexpected. The wind looks kind of stagnant, the sky looks awkwardly gloomy at times, most of all, the human hearts turn terribly fragile and inward (can be a good thing when one goes into self reflective mode). 

Social distancing leaves us further apart in physique but draws us closer in the heart, thought and mind. We attempt to embrace the change, the new normal as much as we could. Could possibly pass off as "not too bad", given the circumstances. Life is unpredictable anyway, but was never such a huge surprise that comes with adverse impact to almost everyone, and the world at large. 

A great deal have changed, we fumble, we pick ourselves up, we forge on and continue to look ahead and forward. We hope that everyone else are doing well, evolving and growing. We will say a huge thanks to what we have at this moment, feeling the gratitude and the lesson learnt. Time is irrelevant and has become a luxury. 

Never let what needs to be said unspoken. Now means so much more than the next moment.  

Human are very distinctive and highly adaptable to change. We will be all right after all. When all this has to come to end, or at least, way better, we have healed ourselves with so much hope and love that our strength and tenacity will shine through. We can do this! 

Visuals via LUMI pinterst 

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] Call My Name

Call me 

The summer heat that sizzles and melts you down, dripping with the sapphire intoxication of gemstone littered in the sand of time

Call me

The lonely darkness that is hidden deep within, waiting for someone to unleash its fearless calling, one who is brave enough to see beyond everything else

Call me

The serenity that fits right into your hand when you are reaching out for a touch of  gentleness, hoping for that little peace of mind 

Call me by my name

If you know me well enough, if you know that all I truly wanted is just a little love, a little kisses, a little gentle touch, a little more understanding, a little more tender loving care

2019 has left us gingerly, without making a huge fuss, yet we could not help but missing her so much, yet we are excited about what the rest of 2019 will bring. New challenges in life, new things to discover and learn, after all. 

We hope you have lived your first half, luminously and of course, remain your happiest selves, always, lovelies *_^

Visuals via LUMI Pinterest

Woman in black | Woman in white sheets | Inspirational words | Gal in the sunshine | Earthy space |

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] Touch Me Like You Do

Saturated rain hits the sunshine like a pair of whirlwind lovers who believes in opposite attracts, perfuming each other with an intoxicated mind and living in the moment, losing their mind, yet a colourful rainbow peeks through the clouds that drifted away just to make way for such little magic.

You touch me in ways you could not even comprehend, in ways I could not even utter a word myself to describe this feeling of sunny stormy disposition. I have hidden away long enough to confide in my own consciousness, not certain if I should even show this other side of me, but never was a shred of regrets for I can only be who I am, and more. 

I have come a long way, discovering the woman that I should have been. 

Lifting my face towards the sunny sky, I brave myself for what has yet to come and will eventually come my way and take a seat at the table of destiny, sipping my gorgeous cup of tea and my music, now who says you can't have it all in life? 

It is about living in the moment and find your little happiness, one that touches you deeply, in a quirky meaningful way, only you know best. 

Have a luminously beautiful new week ahead, lovelies *_^

With Love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] Finally Home

Came a long way, it was one decision we have made many moons back, making that move eventually was an incredible feeling. Trapped in something which seemingly seems liberating yet suffocating in many ways have pushed us to finally make that move. We are glad, we have made it this far. We are in a better place now, even though it will hurt the other party, inevitably. It is something we need to do, we feel, for the best of everyone ... and everything ultimately. 

Living with the two boys give us much comfort, knowing that they are all right, even though work life is tough, but we try to spend as much time together as we can during their off days. We love where we are now, at a place where we could be comfortable and do whatever our heart wishes. Life goes on. A new chapter, a different kind of life, one which is rewarding in many ways, even though there will always be constant challenges in work life, hence blogging took a back seat. 

We enjoy the solitude and ease the new space brings us. It calms our mind and allows us to have our personal ME time, ever so often and we embrace every moment of it, being alone, yet not lonely for we are connected with the world in more ways than we can imagined. 

It's been a long day, but we have finally come home ...

We hope if you are ever stuck in life, never fear to make the change, it is possible, lovelies, to pursue your own kind of happiness. All it takes is that little extra courage. Have a luminously gorgeous week ahead! 

Visuals via LUMI Pinterest here
1 Space to chill | 2 Clean face | 3 Start where you are | 4 By the window | 5 You've got this | 6 Drinking coffee | 7 Lovely own space

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] That Change Of View

I can't help falling in love with you, space, for you give me a new way of looking at things, you show me that a different view is possible as long as you have an open heart and mind. Fear of the unknown and unfamiliar is terribly real yet beautifully inviting at the same time. I embrace this change, I took it all in, head on, without having a shred of doubt that I would eventually be fine, over time. 

Space, you seem forgiving, you seem friendly enough to accommodate my weakness and all my shortcomings, a woman who only wishes to be happy, no matter where she is, to be free of the worries of the world, yet she knows too well that life is never a bed of roses and worries can only be kept at bay with strong hopeful thoughts and solid baby step actions. 

The new space seems more peaceful, rendering me more solitude of the mind and soul, to be just who I want to be - a simple woman with simple needs, to have ample mental space to think, to explore, to do the things I enjoy doing. 

I have come home, somewhat I feel. The person who I am and who I perhaps would eventually be, are equally similar yet so different in ways I could hardly comprehend but could only embrace as much as I could. Life is beautiful after all when what you search for is only happiness and good intentions, nothing more as the rest seem to fade away like the whispers of the winds.

Some things are just meant to happen that way ... 

Have a fantastic and luminous rest of the week, lovelies *_^

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] Drifting Space

Space drew a deep sigh and withdrew away, in hiding, in the shadow and not wanting to show her face vividly, to her secret admirer. No matter how much I beg, space retreats and unwilling to compromise. Perhaps she is utterly disappointed that she is not what she seems to be after all. 

"Do I need to tell you how I really feel out loud?" space mumbles underneath her little breath. "I am but a girl just wishing upon a star, hoping to get to hear a little echoing respond." She sounds hopelessly disappointed. I could not seem to figure her out. Perhaps it is not my place to do so.

I try to tell space a joke, but she seems unmoved by my little attempt of kindness. I miss her hearthy crazy laugh, I miss seeing her smile and her naiveté, I miss her random rants of her wild but harmless thoughts swirling in her restless mind.

Space, I shall leave you to your own corner, perhaps you do need your own space after all. Tell me when you are ready to step back into the sunlight again. I shall be here, waiting patiently for you. I know you are a strong little one, you will survive it all, no matter for you choose both sweet and bitter of life to savour. 

Be a good girl and come back out, all right, space? 

Visuals via Lumi Pinterest here | Her Face | Cultivate Kindness | All Is Not Lost

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] April Kind Of Change

That moment when you realise what you miss most is just the feeling of that unspoken sense of belonging, even if it means to know that you mean something to someone, that you are truly who you are, uniquely your own self.

March saw a drastic change in life, moving onto new and different challenges in our professional work life, a mixture of excitement and adventures, rolled into one, felt and tasted like Vietnamese spring roll. Lethargically stimulated, we took it on with an open mind and heart. 

Looking at you, it seems inevitable, yes, change, we are looking at you. You fooled us well, yet we can only invite you in for a cuppa and work our way around to what seems certain at this moment, at least it is for the better of everyone. We miss certain things in life, capturing beauty, advocating the appreciation of beauty in life, time somehow is working a little against us, the tide is retreating so quickly that it takes us by surprise ... please stay a little longer, will you, please?

Perhaps it lies in our stars, wanting to live a vivacious life with memorable moments that take our breath away, always! Here's to a unprecedented April, it should be a revelation, one we hope we can face with great courage. Stay happy always, lovelies *_^

All visuals via LUMI's Pinterest | Flower Girl Under The Tree | LUMINNEJ Insta Feed | Words Go Where Alive | Lace In Bed | All White In Bed

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] I Truly Miss You

You whisked away without a trace, in silence, the air was thick, the silence was deafening, that very moment when I discovered you had gone. I thought I lost you forever, but I guess you went away quietly, yearning for a hiatus, a break, one which you had to go through. I left it as it is, I am after all, fairly accommodating. Secretly, the rain came and cried for your leaving, incessantly, as if mourning along, with me, even though I do miss you, but I rather not be too emotional about it. How sweet and thoughtful rain was. Rain is just being sentimental, just like me. 

I long for your return, I would love for you to come back to my embrace and let all your words and passion for visuals just flow, naturally. You don't need to feel restricted at all, for I see through you ... I do see you and all your hopes and dreams, for this life, perhaps even some broken pieces and tears that tag along with them, like some pesky cat who loves to cling tight onto you, which you do find annoying some times. Yes, this is you, the way I see you. Cat is never your thing anyway. 

I hope when you return, you bring with you the sun, a sunshine of renewed inspiration, passion, love and hopes, a pocket full of sunlight that not overly bright, but warm and tenderly inviting, almost like your touch and your gentle smile, whenever you have funny thoughts swirling in that crazy mind of yours. Yes, that is how I see you, you silly one! 

Come home to me again, my dearest. Life is unpredictable, we don't have a lifetime. 

Visuals via LUMI Pinterest here. A Face With Flowy Hair | Catching Her Hair In The Sun | Flowers & Sunlight At Home

Have a luminously happy new week, lovelies *_^

With love, 

Jeann

Review | Sisley Paris Izia, The Collision of Fresh Vibrancy With A Breeze Of Elegance

The culmination of freshness of fruity floral, seduction of a very rare kind of rose and the sweet warmth of woodiness of precious ingredients from the garden and nature bring forth this extremely unique scent, imbued with endless imagination and a sense of adventure, grounded with sensuality of a woman who looks at the world with a fresh new eyes and mind, every time. Sisley Paris's new scent,  IZIA  (here fore more) came to us like a breath of fresh air, as surprising as the gorgeous pink and gold accent packaging, and its exquisite glass bottle specially designed by Polish sculptor, Bronislaw Krzysztof is more than enough to entice you to take another look at Izia or just pick up the bottle and to sample its amazingly unique scent. We are pleasantly surprised, truly. 

[Musing] Past // Present // Future | What Does 2018 Mean To You?

Time made a mark, came and went for 2017 seemed a whirlwind of ups and downs for us. We looked forward to a more quiet year towards the end of last last year here, instead, life threw us with much unexpected turn of events this year. We made a change in life and took up a new area of work, in some ways, blogging here took quite a back seat, which was never an ideal situation for us, but somehow we had to. Never the less, no regrets, life is such. 

Unpredictability also hit us hard when we lost some loved ones this year, a very close family member and a blogger friend (which her departure came so sudden that none of us was ready for it! But then again, who ever would be for a thing called death, right?). It only goes to assert one thing in life - seize the moment and always live each day as if it is your last. Always be grateful and blessed that you are still alive each day to enjoy it. Some things will seem more important while others become way less significant once you sort out your priorities in life. 

For us, we hope that 2018 will be a fresh new start, one that calls for a change in life, but definitely one that would lead us to better future. We did have a great 2017, for we got to travel and gone places quite a fair bit here, all thanks to a dear friend and the hospitality of great places of holiday destinations. On this note, we hope we get to go travel even more, and beyond our region, to experience more and to live more. 

We would also love to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who dropped by and leave your comment, even though we hardly surf over to say our hello often enough (our bad, really!), we could not have done it without your support, and your love, our associates and brands who still believe in us and our work here at LUMINNEJ. We endeavour to do better in the coming new year ... shall try our very best. Please be kind *_^ 

Have a truly exciting new year of 2018 and may the best come your way as you absolutely deserve the best in life, lovelies. Stay luminous and happy, always!

Visual 1 | Black and White Flower by pfeffergruen on Instagram. All visuals via #pinterest. 

With love, 

Jeann