More Do-It-Yourself Therapy

I've come to the conclusion that my current DIY obsession is a form of self therapy. The act of keeping the hands busy, keeping the mind focused on the project at hand—it's very meditative and calming. It keeps anguish and unnecessary fretting at bay. It soothes the heart from aching and wanting.

Composition in Glass

I love this curried chicken salad with spiced chickpeas and raita recipe from Epicurious for its pretty, dainty presentation. Composing the layers was like painting. It was gorgeous to see the turmeric-colored chickpeas lying on a bed of white raita. The sprinkle of almonds was a lovely finish. It was a lovely dish to have as we enjoy a bit of early spring weather here in San Francisco. This dish is great by itself, on crackers, or wrapped in a sturdy lettuce leaf.

Handmade Decorations for Chinese New Year

Like Christmas, there are plenty of tacky, commercial decorations that can be bought on the cheap for Chinese New Year. I have a couple myself that seem a little lovelier than the typical fare. But I thought I'd make some by hand to add to this year's decor. I found some helpful instructions from Folding Trees for making kusudama balls.

Farewell To My Old Baby

This Sunday, Wasabi crossed over to join his brother Mushu. We are grateful that we were able to say goodbye to him at home, with him laying on his favorite sofa, surrounded by his loved ones.

DIY Obsession

I've got a case of Do-It-Yourself fever. So far in the new year, I have made, here at home, with my own hands (albeit with the help of several home appliances):

– a jar of soymilk

– seven jars of yogurt

– thirty muffins

– sixty gyoza/wonton dumplings

– two batches of soup with homemade broth

– a loaf of bread

– a steam basket tower full of Hubei pearl meatballs

– finished sewing my Christmas felt dove ornaments

– (and right now, I'm in the middle of folding some kusudama flower bouquets for Chinese New Year!)

While it is food-heavy right now, this fixation with homemade started with fabric, before Christmas. I bought over a dozen fabric patterns, one after the other, from Purl Soho. I got these beautiful hand-stitched buttons from a super talented embroiderer in England. I also bought a handmade wreath, three handsomely-sewn decorative elf stockings, and several packs of holiday cards from Etsy, the online exchange for all kinds of amazing handmade goods.

So why do I get such a high from DIY? Let's see...

• I feel more satisfied. It feels really gratifying to be feeding my loved ones and filling my home with wholesome goodness that I've made with my own hands.
• I appreciate and care for things more. I find that I take better care of things; I'm not as rough or careless; I'm more thoughtful about throwing out stuff. And that feels good—it feels like a good Zen practice of living with more awareness!
• I consume less and get higher quality. Not that I spend any less $$, but by choosing to pay more for quality handmade goods, I buy less stuff in exchange for better craftsmanship and materials. Less junk in the house, less mess, less carbon footprint on Earth!

I guess I can thank my dear sister partly for this influence, inspiring me to take out my sewing machine again, and not to be so wasteful!