Hidden Treasures

The nondescript corner store had an unassuming facade, typical of any shop selling a bewildering mix of plasticware and household items.  There were metal pots, 'angku' moulds, cake tins, ladles, teapots, ceramic bowls, baskets, cups, trays, spoons..... packed and stacked with only narrow alleys which you had to maneuver through with care.

As our eyes flitted through the array of everyday utensils, our eyes lighted upon a porcelain jug, the dust barely masking the beautiful colours it still possessed... Moving our gazes upward, we saw painstakingly crafted rattan baskets coated with a layer of grime...Roaming glances further discovered a plate featuring my sister's favourite deity, the dirty surface revealing glimpses of its potential beauty....

All it took was an amazing, vivacious, super slick sales person in the form of the 70 plus year old lady boss who impressed us to no end when she rattled off in Tamil... We didn't stand a chance - we were putty in her hands. We walked back out into the sunshine, eager to clean and wash our precious bounty.

Back home, an unexpected delight was discovered among the newspaper wrappings in the form of a little dish that the lady boss threw in as an extra incentive to make sure we will pay her a visit again very soon.  After a good wash, we stood back to admire our haul for the day...

Beautiful porcelain plates in all their former glory



Vibrant scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms



Gorgeous colours revealed on the mint condition jug

It really goes to show the amazing treasures you can find if you open your eyes wide and look hard enough.  Who would have expected such beautiful items nestled in a dusty, cramped store like that?

So, for this brand new year, in addition to wishing you happiness, health and success, may you also open your eyes to discover all the hidden treasures that would enrich your life.  Who knows, you may already have all these treasures around you...

Togetherness....

We wish you love, peace, harmony and togetherness as you celebrate Winter Solsitice with family, friends and all loved ones.

What I Got For My Birthday?

As I mentioned in my last posting, I was given the privilege by my sister to select whatever I wanted from the Yii-Tou shop.  Not sure if this was a major judgement failure on my sister's part because I could very well set my heart on the most expensive item.  Which actually is pretty affordable anyway with Yii-Tou's modest pricing.  But being the good sibling that I am, I reined in my primal instincts and vowed not go on a rampage.  Items to consider?

This lovely ivory and silver bead necklace would certainly start envious talks among the ladies....

Or how about this beautifully embroidered Chinois inspired tunic - certainly perfect for the upcoming Chinese New Year...

But then again, how about something that I could don on at anytime regardless the occassion - something easy, breezy and beautiful, like this?

Or my sister's own personal favourite potential gift item which she kept asking me to try - these really funky Raja Mongkut (as my sister named them) style pants...

I can see the potential of the pants, but I was too yellow-bellied to ever be that trendy.  The pants could double up as a strapless one piece too for the young and lovely.... Alas, that would seem to completely rule me out.... Yet, if I don't wear this now, when there is still a tiny fragment of youth left, I will probably never wear anything like it ever as I further degenerate in my old age.....

So, without going through the long list of other delicious items I had evaluated, guess which piece I finally selected for my birthday gift?

My First Visit to Yii-Tou....

I missed the opening of Yii-Tou because I was gallivanting around New Zealand.  That was about 2 weeks ago.  There were some horror stories from my sister of the late nights with her partners renovating and putting all the finishing touches in time for the designated "good day and good hour".  They needed all the divine help they can get as they embarked on their new venture.  In a nutshell, Yii-Tou is all about creativity and individuality, a labour of love by the owners who appreciate beauty, craft and design. 

I was curious how the shop looked, and feeling guilty for not having lifted a finger to help.  So after recuperating from trekking around with 10kg pack on my back (ok, maybe I exaggerate a little to get some admiration here...), I finally visited the shop today.  The signage at the ground door entrance looked really elegant and I was totally floored by the hand-crafted wooden logo at the shop door front.  This was designed and made by Kim, one of Yii-Tou's partners.

Yii-Tou logo in hand-crafted wood

Stepping into the shop itself, I was greeted with earthy colours that were pleasing to the eye and muted, soft lights which offered the right amount of brightness, and yet provided a cosy, warm feel to the place.  The layout was spacious and the use of curtains instead of doors to divide up the space created the feeling of accessibility. 

The overall look was spiced up with bright splashes of colour from the beautiful shawls, fabrics and lovely prints cleverly used by Ivy, who showcased her first collection very tastefully.  I've always thought of batik-like prints to be fuddy-duddy, buy Ivy made them look cool and retro.  And best of all, they all looked so comfortable!  Best type of clothing for well-proportioned women like me, ahem!

Of course, there are designs which help accentuate the cut of the body too....

But the finishing touches really showed me the thought and passion that Yii-Tou's partners are putting into their business...

Sequinned dragonflies on the aircon controls

Paper dragonflies

My sister has asked me to select a birthday present for myself from the shop.... I'm sure I'll have a good time choosing :-)