a hiking we will go

so in the spirit of being more active + getting outdoors more in the new year we have joined the green power hike in jan 2011! with two teams taking part we're accepting the challenge to hike 25km and 50km across hong kong to raise money to help environmental initiatives and education.

see below for more details + contact us if you want to donate + support us - thankyou!!

the warmth of december

hello december. it's been a while since we've last met, in fact it's been a year, but it always amazes me how not long ago it seems! i've realised this is the first christmas i've spent at home, which is nice for a change, as traveling, although fun is tiring. so i'm happy to stay put... for now :)

christmas in hong kong isn't the cold wintery one you'd like to experience during the festive season, but i think we still we enjoy it for what it is. we just have to think of all the cold things so we can have warm ourselves up with a gingerbread latte, mulled wine, minced pies and stuffing! yumm

enjoy the last calendar of 2010, with a little dusting on top!

up + coming holiday events

the festive season is upon us with gingerbread lattes + the red cups at starbucks, carols playing in the shops and snowflakes + snowmen decorating the shop windows!

there are a few events coming up that we will be at, so mark these dates

:: hmhk community bazaar at the soho wine + dine festival ::
november 20-21 (sat-sun) from 1pm-8pm
both days will have a plethora of stalls on staunton, elgin and peel street selling lovingly handcrafted items + gifts, live entertainment + just a great day out!

:: db backyard holiday bazaar ::
november 28 (sun) from 10am-5pm
spend the day in discover bay plaza and support local artists + craft makers. find that perfect personalised gift to put under the tree this year!

check out the handmade hong kong website for more info

see you all soon :)

::pre-order:: festive cards + gift wrap!!

we're now taking pre-orders for our festive range!! cards + gift wrap will be available mid november so please place your orders + we'll do the rest :)

**special** for the first 20 people to order 12 cards or more, you will be able to enjoy a delectable signature dessert at zenku - a new modern japanese restaurant (only available in hong kong), described as cuisine haute provocation... it's definitely one to tantalize your tastebuds.

click on the image to view the eflyer or download the order form :: happy shopping!

mulberry moment festive eflyer 2010

it's a darker, cooler + cozier time

i love the change of seasons and how it effects the environment, our moods and preferences; warm comforting foods, steaming mugs of hot chocolate, gingerbread lattes and mulled wine (yes mugs!), big soft scarves and thick jumpers... mmm makes me want to snuggle into my big duvet.

this picture was taken in london just outside of the tate museum. i remember walking around, wrapped up in a scarf, woolly hat and gloves as it was the end of december and it was cold!! there's something about being snug in layers of winter gear and having a hot cuppa with the icy wind on your face, it just makes things feel right. wonderful memories to warm the heart.. awww! enjoy this month's calendar :)

going back this christmas

i've always been attracted to the 40s, with the uber gentlemen and feminine style, the swing, jazz and blues music, big bands and dance halls, films about chivalry, war, love, honour and family... yes i am an old romantic. if i could chose to live in a period, i would pick the 40s. of course it wasn't always glamour, music and fun; it was post world war and people were putting their lives back together, with the loss of loved ones but also there is a sense of joy in surviving.

this is where i drew inspiration for the new festive range... classic christmas gifts. things that were treasured and loved dearly, with the simple purpose of bringing joy to their little owners. here's a little glimpse of one of the designs - we always like men in uniforms! the set of 4 designs are currently in print so will let you know when they're ready, yay :)

creativity is not an island

being creative is a funny thing really. you realise that your imagination runs a different course and you see things slightly different from others who are less creatively inclined. it's hard not to get frustrated at people who think more logically or have no specific design input, just whether they like it or not. i think that gets me the most ha

this year i've realised there aren't that many people i respect or trust the creative judgement of. it's a difficult position to be in, especially when i'm designing + creating things. i'm limited by my own creativity. it's good if you know what you like + have the confidence in your work (though too much could be mistaken as arrogance!) i'm definitely the sort that needs to talk things out + brainstorm to refine ideas, concepts + of course improve my own abilities. i'm a team player!

so i totally recommend seeking out like-minded people + getting involved with creative communities to keep yourself inspired + stimulated.

come fly away

i was just reminded of what a wonderful song this is -



no matter what mood you're in, it certainly picks you up and makes you want to let go of things weighing you down to the point you're so light that you will literally fly and float away.

i've been procrastinating a bit, ok a lot. there are things i know i need to do, yet i simply don't do them. so i've set myself a goal for the week: finish the new christmas range... now i've told you all, so i have to do it!

when sleep is not a friend... turn to the drawing board

being sleep deprived is a funny thing. your mind + body don't seem to communicate anymore, so when you are suppose to be alert and focused i.e. at work, you just zone out and when you're lying in bed needing to be catching those zzz's, thoughts are going through your head at the speed of light. thank God for coffee and other stimulants. though these eye stickers are pretty awesome... a little freaky, but could potentially come in handy ha

well a good thing about having the extra time is more time to work at the new mm christmas range! yes, that is what is happening right now. i'm loving the new concept (which you will hear and see more about soon) but at the same time there comes additional frustrations of not translating the vision i've conjured up in my head onto paper. it's going to take some time, but hopefully not too long as christmas is fast approaching!!!

start making those lists and checking it twice :)

staying up late

well i'm going to post this one a little earlier (see, i'm working on my organisational skills + planning!) but also i'll be at a wedding after party tonight so i'm sure this is the view i'll see coming home on october 1st.

this is the view from my apartment at dawn.. there's something really peaceful about watching the day take over the night. it's almost like a battle between light + dark, which reminds me of pixar's wonderful animated short day + night (see below)!

enjoy :)

Video - Day And Night - Pixar

handmade hongkong's db bazaar

i love the concept of coming together with goods + wares that have been lovingly created, inspired + best of all, handmade! there's something nice about taking the time to make something with your own hands, you get the ultimate satisfaction.

yaaah we're looking forward to handmade hong kong's db backyard bazaar! check out the list of other participating vendors. we'll be sharing a booth with bubblecouture + colourblind from 10am to 5pm so hope you can drop by. 

 

back to school

although it's been a while since i've had that feeling of going back to school, i still remember that feeling of a new school year - the excitement of going back, hanging out with friends at break time, passing notes, checking out the new kids and teachers, figuring out the new class schedule... ah such wonderful memories :)

one of my favourite things to do was buying new stationery! books and notepads, pens in different colours, highlighters, post it notes, organising files, clips... i would spend hours in the stationery shop picking everything out and testing each colour. they excite me a lot, and they still do!

so in honour of the school term and some teacher friends, who work incredibly hard and have amazing stories and kids' assignments to share, here's the calendar for september :: enjoy!!

painted blackboard wall :: wu kwai sha youth village, hong kong

hello august

we're swiftly moving through the year into the 8th month already, and the weather is hot and perfect for sitting by the ocean and enjoying the salty breeze.

this picture captures one of those moments, i was in wellington with my sisters, bro-in-law and beautiful little niece having lunch and soaking up the rays. it was a wonderful day, and hope you all have a wonderful summer month!

enjoy :)

"say GOOOOD bye to your e-waste"

this month we will be supporting a local event at cyberport to educate + raise awareness of our growing problem with e-waste. there will be fun interactive ways to learn how to be more environmentally  + dispose of e-waste responsibly.  something that we all need to learn + know more about, especially if you're thinking of buying a new iphone soon!

the event will run from july 15-31, with eco fairs on the weekends from 12-6pm (which is where we will be!)

also featuring
:: art exhibitions
:: comic + animations - a special comic has been developed by local creative talents promoting the message of environmental protection, which can be read via a touch screen + downloaded to smart-phones
:: workshops
:: interactive games
:: recycling centre
:: hong kong's 1 minute international film festival
:: + test drive a new electric car!!

hope to see you guys there... if you want to know more please read the press release click here

or join the cyberport facebook page to keep updated on what's happening for this event

a little more background for you
:: what is e-waste?
:: a snippet of greenpeace's video on hong kong's role + responsibility for e-waste
:: below are some pictures from guiyu, china's electronic waste village which breaks down a lot of the world's e-waste, with dangerous consequences for themselves!

a slight delay...

it took me a while to realise that we're actually in july! it feels a bit odd doesn't it? time has once again managed to escape us... it feels like it was only the other day when we were entering into the year twenty-ten + now we're half way through it!

i do apologise for the delay in this month's calendar, i've just spent a week in one of my favourite destinations - kota kinabalu, malaysia. it's a beautiful place offering a plethora of activities by the beach/underwater + on land/high up, with great kopi (coffee) + a melting pot of ethnic foods to enjoy. we managed to test the waters whilst white water rafting + diving, as well as putting our stamina to the test by climbing mt. kinabalu + yes we reached the peak at 4,095m above sea level!!

the calendar for this month (albeit a late one) is the morning view from up the mountain, maybe it'll inspire you to climb it one day :: enjoy :)

june's sun + sea

i've been enjoying the wonderful fijian life for the past few weeks... every one greets you with "bula" and calls you by name, the food and weather are great and there is so much lush green life around - it is a beautiful place with equally beautiful people!

also, i was fortunate enough to get my open water license, and now am a fully certified diver thanks to tawake and his amazing dive team at garden island resort, taveuni!! exploring the depths of the oceans and all that is in it, has always been a dream of mine and it was the perfect opportunity to begin that dream.

so in honour of that, this month's calendar is of a reef in the northern part of fiji :: hope you like it :)

may day!

so we come to the first of may, how fast is this year going?! 2010 is zooming by...

i love this picture. it was taken whilst driving around the south island, new zealand and the brilliant colours on the washing line make me happy. the current weather makes me think of roadtrips and travels, beaches and picnics so thought that this would be the perfect image as we continue through spring into summer.

enjoy :)

gar yao!! gar yao!!

gao yao literally translates to 'add oil' and this is what the volunteers were cheering us on today as we hiked up crazy steep slopes and carried saplings over rocky terrain so we could plant them on the side of a hill!

it was a wonderful event with over 700 registered participants, over 200 volunteers and the weather was perfect, slightly overcast and a cool breeze and the sun came out on the way back down. i ended up planting 10 saplings, unfortunately didn't name them but will try visit them next year. a big thank you to mari + kyle for providing moral support and waking up so early to walk with me! despite the bad reception, the phone calls were appreciated :P 

thanks friends of the earth hk for organising it, looking forward to next year :)

here are a few pics from the day... we also made some furry friends along the way!

preparing to plant new life

this is the site where we'll be planting the saplings on sunday :: grassy hill, shing mun country park, tsuen wan, this is a popular place for family hikes. it's fairly rocky and barren as it had been destroyed by hill fires. so we'll be planting trees that have a high water retention, which acts as a fire resistant barrier!

there will be 8-12 different tree species, native and exotic breeds to encourage biodiversity and they have been selected to suit our local environment.

a few of the species include schima superba (gugertree)

and the rhaphiolepis indica.


friends of the earth hk are doing a fantastic job and will be committing to annual aftercare for 3 year to weed and fertilise the plants and make sure they are surviving!

as mentioned in the other post, we have to create
our own carrying gear, here are a few ideas from
previous years...

will keep you posted on how things go :)

bubble couture launch party!!!

my dear friend linnet will be launching her baby apparel company this weekend :: bubble couture

all stock will be available at 10% off on the day + there are lots of prizes to be won. our cards will also be there so come check it out. details below...

introducing :: tombo the tomato plant

repotting was a success and tombo is set up with a lovely view of the tsing ma bridge :)

got green fingers?

In all honesty, I've never had green fingers... though my grandmother loves spending time in the garden, especially with her roses (picture below), and my mum has always had pots of things growing on our balcony, I never was good with plants.

Well that is all going to change!

I was recently given a tomato plant and will document it's growth and progress on here. I need to repot it so it can spread it's roots and grow. A picture will be coming soon (it's too dark outside now to take one).

Another thing that I've always wanted to do is plant a tree. I'd be happy just to plant one, but living in a concrete jungle on the 41/F makes it quite hard to do so. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Friends of the Earth are running a tree planting challenge on April 25th, and I have signed up, yay!! The challenge? Hike 13km and plant a minimum of 10 saplings in 6 hours. Doesn't sound too bad, but after going to a briefing session I realise I need to do some training as a lot of it is uphill and the saplings themselves weigh over 8kg, not including tools, fertiliser, water (for the saplings and myself) a packed lunch and wet weather wear :: bring it on!!!

In addition, we have to create a carrying device for the saplings, so it has to be strong, lightweight and easy to carry uphill... so I need so ideas and help here please!

I've decided to name my little saplings, so free feel to send in your ideas :)

waking up to spring

this picture was taken on a walk through the beautiful uk midlands + you can see a little bit of frost melting away on the grass, which brings us to the month that is full of life + new beginnings :: happy april :)

a green product store :: emoi

i was walking around the polluted streets of causeway bay + came across an incredibly clean, visually fresh looking store with interesting products inside :: emoi

they have some great eco products such as bpa free tumblers, reusable shopping + cloth bags to more unique pieces like funky hanging clocks + my favourite :: blackboard mugs!!

emoi can be found at
19-21 sharp street east, causeway bay, hong kong
emoilife.com

often 2010 :: organic, fair trade, environmental friendly fair + music show

often 2010 :: organic, fair trade, environmental friendly fair + music show
date :: saturday 20th march 2010
location :: podium, cyberport hong kong
time :: 9am-10pm
entry fee :: $40

when we first heard of this fair last year from our friends noughts and exes + immediately knew we had to be a part of it! this is the first event in hk dedicated to creating awareness, educating, combining arts, products + music together to encourage the sustainable development of the environment + community.

apart from product stalls like ours, there will also be workshops + demonstrations on how to make organic cookies, 100% organic soap, natural plant dying to nutritional talks + tips on turning trash into useful household products!

also the music show will be the highlight with a number of local bands supporting the cause + they've even collaborated their talent to write an original song for the event - how awesome is that!

we'll be there from 8am-9pm so hope you guys can make it along + enjoy the day. it actually looks like the weather is going to clear up too. yay :)

for more info on the often event, check out www.chopsticks-co.com/often2010/

heading straight into march

can you believe it's already march?! how has the year gone by so fast?!

march is going to be an exciting month for us with a few fairs coming up (details below) and new outlets stocking our momumen cards!

available in the following hong kong shops now
:: graze cafe - sheung wan www.graze.hk
:: hong kong book centre - central www.hongkongbookcentre.com
:: hong kong book centre - taikoo shing
:: kelly & walsh - pacific place www.kellyandwalsh.com
:: organic baby - lyndhurst tce www.organicbaby.com.hk
:: pippap - db
:: swindon book co - tst www.swindonbooks.com

fairs
:: kgv school - fairy tales night market
friday, march 12, 6-9pm
2 tin kwong road, ho man tin

:: often - organic, fair trade, environmentally friendly fair & music show 2010
saturday, march 20, 10am-11pm
tickets - $40/person
hong kong's first ever event to put the ideas of organic, fair trade, environmentally friendly concepts and the support of the sustainable development of the local community together. come show your support!  www.chopsticks-co.com/often2010/

will see you guys there!

also as it's a new month, let's refresh our desktops :: here's to a great month of march :)

february's looking bright

it's been a while since our last post, but no worries we're still here working on a few things which makes the coming months look rather exciting - with more wedding bells ringing, some new invites, personalised stationery + a new range of cards!

:: also coming soon :: new mulberry moment website, where you can browse through the cards + shop online! we'll let you know more very soon.

in the meantime, here's the desktop calendar for february :: enjoy!

 

new year 2010!

what an exciting new year this is going to be. i can just feel it :)

there are a number of things going on with mulberry moment this year, with new products, new ranges + a new online shopping website coming soon, so keep a look out for that.

to get the year going, here's a desktop calendar for your background. feel free to add details such as important dates, birthdays + so on. this'll (hopefully) help with sending cards out on time!

click on the image to enlarge it + save the file with your background images :: happy jan 2010