Crafted By Mei ... Living the dream...

I have a confession to make: I have been seriously indulging in online shopping for the past month. You'd think that constant traveling would lessen it, but NO. Traveling encourages it more! What's with the constant long lonely hours in the hotel room and strong Internet signal ... a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Right ladies?

My point is: I've discovered another site for my trinket collection. Actually this site has been there awhile, I've browsed through the entries many times and even contemplated on buying something, but usually ended up didn't. So by 'discovered', I meant I purchased something from there just for experiment sake. And voila! What a delight the whole experience turned out to be!

Quite like my previous passion with romance novels which has now slowly dwindled due to my own er private emotional life steadily taking off. But that's another story. Oh how I can go on and on!

So anyway lovelies, have you ever heard of Crafted By Mei? If you haven't already, you should be.

Last week I got a little brave and made contact with Mei, inquiring about her latest charm bracelets. Her First Steps series kinda caught my fancy so strongly that I just couldn't help myself. (Hello, sounds like an online-shopaholic ho...). She responded promptly and her tone was quite cheerful but at the same time, professional. To cut the story short and a few emails between us later...

TADAAA! My First Steps bracelet. Made of (ok here comes the fancy cute names) Flower Cabochon, Padparadscha AB Swarovski Heart, Matte Orange Flat Oval Chinese Crystal, Coral Red Faux Pearl Bead, Light Peach Chinese Crystal Doughnut, Footstep Charm and Live Your Dream Charm (as seen below on my chubby wrist).

'Live your dream' it says, as if I have been neglecting just that lately. 

 Complete with the necklace series ...

I'm a sucker for sweet wraps and lovely creative packaging. Even if the inside sucks (which this one totally didn't), the outer part would always make up for it a little. This lady is serious.

Packaging was really nice ... really really nice...

 This is how a woman who means business makes a deal that really impresses...

And you know what sealed the deal? Her really big dreams and her courage. I followed her on Facebook after this initial purchase, and what I discovered totally changed my perception of her. (Sorry Mei, I am going to borrow your Facebook page a bit).

I discovered lovely Mei is actually wheelchair bound, as was mentioned in a Magazine article and her previous post (read here to know more) .I emailed her to say I was sorry about her condition and guess what she replied?

In her own words to me: "... One is not defined by whether he sits or stands. I am truly fine..."

Pretty girl with big dreams living it everyday...

I was touched by how positive she looks at life, and I reflected on myself and how different I am from her in so many ways. I can be quite a whiner sometimes when things don't go my way.  Or silently going through a series of passive regression, like a time bomb, when encountering a negative experience.

But this girl? She got back right up, and I don't know how she did it, but she did and she's doing something that she loves right now. Very good at it too. She can be ok with her condition, while I was swamped with guilt and sympathy. (Not a good combination sometimes especially when dealing with someone of less advantage than you). Girl, you'd make a good role model for all these able-bodied youths out there. And to some of the older ones with diminishing dreams.

So now I'm here to stay! Wohoo! Her handcrafted jewellery is perfect for birthday gifts to BFFs, parting souvenirs, or simply for your own wear to match with party or function attires. They're quite an eye-catching stuff.

Thank you Mei. :-) God bless your online business.

NOTE: Lesson learned for the day: I should start on that novel project already. Live MY dream for once!

Keep calm and continue online shopping ...

February is ending today. A pretty lovely short busy month. And a very productive month for the creative and industrious online entrepreneurs out there who had ever crossed path with me. And you know why? Because...

My second parcel of the week, my fifth for the month, my eighth for the whole year! Okay, calm down. Calm down. It's only February. There's always room for more.

  Hello again Mr. Postman...

Who knew how exciting it could be, this weekly affair with the mailman? The daily visits to the online malls? The thrill of discovering newly opened e-retails? More pretty dresses! Oscar fashions! Duchess of Cambridge makeover! Oh man the sales tactics! The bargains! Drop-dead discounts! Total must-have! Positively exhilarating. Downright therapeutic. Adrenalin shot. Damn...

Okay, calm down. Calm down. Remember the promise not to buy another thing online for the next few months until the trip. But perhaps a new beach dress till then?... I mean, look at the pretty packaging. These people mean business! You have to be a step ahead if you want to impress your customers, and most especially if you want to retain them. Tie a ribbon somewhere, add a free woven bag, and I'm roped! I'm not that difficult to please at all.

 No secret now to where I was last seen...

Do you know that most things now can be found and purchased online? Amazing what technology can do these days. Even more amazing is the fast moving trend from the conventional mall window-shopping to hours of online browsing. Easy, fast, and convenient, although sometimes risky (where sizes or material and quality are concerned). Dresses, bikinis, tees, jeans, shoes, peep toe sandals, jewellery, perfumes, makeups, accessories of all kinds, house ware, kitchen ware, electronic goods, gadgets, car cares, gifts, baby paraphernalia, books, stationery, etc. You name it, they have it.

Awesome gadget bargains too, with free delivery

You know, it doesn't help that I have a little more to spend this season. It's as if they can smell my bank accounts! And while I should be focusing more on saving instead of spending, a little self-pampering or random gifts to oneself once in a while is allowed. Right? A tiny drop in the ocean. Won't even dent the pocket. Won't even feel the pinch. Okay stop rolling your eyes.

What? I settled my debts a year ago. So no poking on my conscience. I shop with a clear knowledge that most of the things I buy I may not need right away or will perhaps overrun my wardrobe or sometimes thrash or even gifted to some other if the shoe fits. I shop knowing full well that I can and will in fact, do it again.

Bought both my Nokia XpressMusic online in 2008 and 2010...

A word of warning: This is an honest random confession of a third-generation shopper who prefers the warm comfort of the chair she lounges on (forgive the bad poise) and the cool coziness of her room/home to the busy traffic and cashier queues or rubbing shoulders with other eager shoppers in a real mall. If you feel that you can't or shouldn't add on to your current financial burden, then put this post into your I-read-her-but-will-not-follow-her-example list. As a matter of that, I don't condone online shopping binge. Shop within your means and control your speed limit when you can before you turn into the next incurable shopaholic. Hear ye hear ye the words coming out of my mouth keyboard.

The world outside is currently busy campaigning and throwing bullshits what-nots at each other and pretending to be a better character than the next person as the election draws near. Me? I shall sit here, keep calm and continue shopping.

Just for heads up and because I firmly believe some good stuffs should be shared, here are some of the e-shops I tested and frequented:

Pretty Chase

Acmamall

IP-Mart

Sally Fashion
Pop Look
Zalora (but I bet you know this one already...)
Lazada 
I Wear Sin
Thirtymm.com
And the rest you can just Google.

No, I don't get paid for these links. But you, go ahead, have fun shopping!

Add to cart Monday ...

Hate Mondays? I know a quick remedy. Come, accompany me to the online malls.

I mean, how could you resist signs that say 'Free shipping', '50% off online sales', 'Weekend Deals Specials', 'Privileged Shopper Deals', 'Buy 2 get 1 on the house'... etc?

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up spending nearly RM100 online on a Monday morning. Very therapeutic, even if the item on sales is probably one that you gamble your body-size on upon a successful transaction. No matter.

Now you try. I know you some of you are having your pay-day today... Ha ha ha. What are you waiting for?

 

Pic: www.exemplifyonline.com

HAVE A SPLENDID CARAMEL MACCHIATO MONDAY!

Ok ... now continue work!

Online Shopping Junkie ...

I am unrepentant.

Shameless.

Proud to be.

 Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images 

Why, just last week I bought this gorgeous baby for a wedding I was supposed to attend. 

Aishop Store

 And it my first time buying heels online! What risk. Thank God they fit. 

Will I repeat the deed?

Oh yes, definitely!