The Sweet Tidings

Name: Cut-out cat sugar cookies
Yield: 3 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup salted butter softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp lemon flavoring; 2 large eggs room temperature; 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour*; ¾ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt

Recipe: Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

2026-05-27T20:45:30.331+08:00

Nothing beats homemade cookies! Take your home baked cookie a notch higher with this delicious Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I've baked many types of cookies but this recipe remains to be my all-time favorite.

Check out the recipe below:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 large egg
2 tsps vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1-1/2 tsp instant coffee granules

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar.

3. Add egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.

4. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients--flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

5. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture until well combined. Add coffee granules.

6. Stir in chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

7. Form into a ball and wrap in a plastic wrap to chill dough (2-3 hours).

8. Make 1-1/2-inch balls (bigger if you desire) and arrange in baking tray. Do not crowd cookie because the dough will expand once baked.

9. Bake until golden brown. Let cool in a baking rack.

10. Enjoy with coffee!

Lucky crafts: Year of the Fire Horse

2026-02-17T14:55:00.003+08:00

A brand new lunar cycle begins — and with it comes fresh hope, renewed energy, and the promise of abundance.

Gong Xi Fa Cai! May this Lunar New Year bring you prosperity, joy, and bold new beginnings. As we welcome 2026, may the spirit of the Fire Horse gallop into your life with courage, momentum, and unstoppable good fortune. 🔥🐎

The Lunar New Year is more than fireworks and red envelopes. It’s about clearing space for blessings, honoring tradition, gathering with family, and stepping into the year with intention. It’s a time to refresh our homes, reset our hearts, and invite in brighter days.

If you’re celebrating at home this year, why not add a little festive charm to your space? From printable decor to gift tags and party accents, you can usher in the fiery good vibes with beautiful Lunar New Year printables from HP Printables. A simple touch of red and gold can instantly transform your table, your workspace, or your celebration corner.

Whether you’re hosting a small gathering, preparing thoughtful gifts, or simply embracing the season quietly, may this year bring:

✨ Prosperity that flows steadily

✨ Opportunities that spark excitement

✨ Health that keeps you strong

✨ Peace that grounds you

✨ And joy that feels abundant

Here’s to a year of movement, magic, and meaningful moments.

Gong Xi Fa Cai, crafty friends. Let the Fire Horse lead the way.

Valentine Make and Bake Round-up

2026-01-30T15:04:00.009+08:00

Image from DIY Joy

Easy Cardboard Conversation Hearts project from DIY Joy

That short-and-sweet holiday is upon us again! 💕 Get into the Valentine spirit by mini-decorating your workspace or baking treats for family and friends. Check out this easy-peasy craft round-up for some heart-filled inspiration!

Image from Sugar Spun Run

Valentine Cookie recipe from Sugar Spun Run

Image from Handmade Charlotte

I Love You this Much DIY Valentine Dolls by Misako Mimoko on Handmade Charlotte

Image from Lella Boutique

Free Stuffed Heart Pattern from Lella Boutique

Pumpkin Spice, Cozy Living and a Fresh Start

2026-01-28T00:30:00.012+08:00

Hello, friends! It’s been a while since my last post, and I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the new year.

I’ve made a few thoughtful changes to the blog—my content is now lovingly focused on baking, crafting, and cozy living. Travel stories and personal essays have found a new home over on Cristy in the City, so if that’s your cup of tea, I’d love for you to visit (and bookmark!) that space too.

Recently, a friend sent me a box of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix, a seasonal treat that instantly fills the kitchen with all the warm, nostalgic aromas of autumn. I simply added half a stick of butter, one egg, and a teaspoon of cold Dehusk coconut milk, then baked the cookies according to the package instructions. The result? Soft, fragrant, and absolutely delicious—perfect with a cup of tea on a quiet afternoon.

I’m really looking forward to sharing more baking stories this year and hope you’ll join me along the way. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, be sure to browse the blog for cozy, heartfelt inspiration for the season.

Recipe: Bánh Tiêu Vietnamese Donuts

2025-09-22T17:06:00.006+08:00

My friend recently me a pack of Vietnamese donut (Bánh Tiêu) mix. She is into Vietnamese coffee and snacks lately and I was curious too of how this Southeast Asian donut compares to the usual donut. Based on the description I found online, Bánh Tiêu is a chewy, deep fried beignet with a signature hollow center. My version didn't have that hollow center though IT was rather light and chewy, with a mochi like softness. If you are craving for a deep fried something, Bánh Tiêu would have to be the perfect snack.

If you want to make Vietnamese donuts from scratch, you can try Vicky Pham's recipe.

Bánh Tiêu Vietname Donut Recipe

Ingredients:

1 packet yeast (included in donut mix)
1/2 cup sugar
150 ml water

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine 1 packet yeast with water and sugar.

2. Add donut flour.

3. Mix and knead flour for 10 minutes until well combined.

4. Form into a bowl and put in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

5. Let sit for 1 hour.

6. Form into round, flattened disk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

7. Deep fry until golden brown. Enjoy while hot!

Recipe: Fudge Brownie with Crackly Tops

2025-06-08T00:49:00.008+08:00

Brownies are my all-time favorite baked goodie. I have several recipes on my blog that come handy when brownie cravings strike. Recently, I added this fudgy brownie recipe with crackly tops to my brownie collection. It's adapted from Baker by Nature.

FUDGE BROWNIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons (28ml) vegetable oil
1 and 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional, but recommended
3/4 cup (128 grams) chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line pan with baking paper or aluminum foil.

2. Melt butter over low heat. Add oil and 1/2 cup sugar. Let cool for a bit. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa poweder, espresso powder and flour. Add to butter mixture.

4. Mix and combine well. Add chocolate chips.

5. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes unti edges are firm and tops are crackly.

6. Let cool and slice into squares.

Spring 2025: Afternoon Tea x Nathalie Lete

2025-03-19T22:41:00.009+08:00

Images from Afternoon Tea JP

Hello 2025! Things have been busy on the home front hence the lack of posting. I'm back for all good, sweet tidings.

Just like that, spring is already in the air! Be inspired by the ultra-cozy cottagecore Afternoon Tea x Nathalie Lete collection. From tea sets to spring plushies, this collaboration is a celebration of all things whimsical and joyful.

Christmas angel DIY from Meri Meri

2024-12-17T10:16:00.004+08:00

Aren't these the cutest Christmas angels? Print the whole set for your tree, nativity creche or your mantel. Get the Christmas angel printable from Meri Meri. Happy holidays everyone!

Christmas Crafts: Paper City Nativity Scene

2024-12-08T07:07:00.002+08:00

Hello Christmas season! Time to get cozy and crafty! Here's the easiest project to make this weekend. Simply download and print. Young and old will love this this whimsical nativity scene paper project by Made by Joel.

Dressing up Jasper the witch’s cat

2024-10-26T23:54:00.004+08:00

We can all agree that black kitties are equally as cute and Halloween is the perfect time to show off their elegant color and beautiful amber eyes. Let Jasper, the adorable witch’s cat show off his magnificnet fashoon sense with this super cute printable paper doll set from Meri Meri.

Have a fun Halloween!

Recipe: Cut-out cat sugar cookies

2024-09-24T12:35:00.016+08:00

It's September and it's officially autumn in many parts of the world. One of the cozy things you can do this season is to do autumn inspired baking--cookies for your tea and coffee and all things pumpkin spice. Sugar cookies are my favorite treat, and I have favorite recipes that I go back to every holiday season.

Check out this recipe that I adapted from Joy Food Sunshine. I had to add more flour (plus 1 cup) to make the cookie dough firmer. It makes for a tough cookie which works great with this kind of cookie cutter.

CUT-OUT CAT SUGAR COOKIES

Yield: 3 dozen

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 C.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar and eggs. Add vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine 3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
Combine dry ingredients to creamed mixture.
Wrap dough in cling-wrap and chill overnight.
Roll-out dough on a flat surface. Use cat shaped cookie cutter.
Baker on a silpat lined cookie sheet and bake until light brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a cooling rack.

Learn how to paint mushrooms with Life after Breakfast

2024-09-02T15:42:00.004+08:00

Image from Life after Breakfast

September is here! Get into the cozy, autumn mood by celebrating all things wild, earthy and woodsy. Enjoy the beauty of mushrooms and better yet, learn how to paint them yourself. Dust off your sketch pad and watercolors and let Alessa of Life after Breakfast teach you how. Get the tutorial here.

Apartment Therapy's 2024 Decluttering Cure Program

2024-08-21T21:58:00.006+08:00

My struggle against clutter is real. It's so difficult to live with constant disorganization. If only I can find a magical fairy who can put my house in order in an instant, I'd be forever grateful. How do we even deal with so much stuff and material things that pile up as the years go by?

I am a hopeless sentimentalist and it is hard for me to part with things that I have been accustomed to seeing on a daily basis. Stuffed animals from my childhood years are comforting reminders of a nostalgic time in my life. Books that I have acquired during my 20's still sit on my shelf. As a forty-plus woman, I should have already transitioned to a more minimalistic way of life.

For people with the same problem as mine, fret no more. One of my favorite websites, Apartment Therapy has a solution for all of us clutter bugs. The 14-day Apartment Therapy Decluttering Cure 2024 will be launched on September 16, 2024. We have enough time to get psyched in fulfilling this year's most important resolution-a clean house and a peaceful mind. Sign-up up to get started on the program. Let's do this together!

Have a doodle it-all day!

2024-08-12T17:32:00.005+08:00

I've always loved sewing and making handmade dolls as a hobby. Lately, I've enjoyed pinning cute kawaii-style illustrations on my Pinterest boards for inspiration. Illustrating is another hobby I'd like to pursue. Anyway, while browsing the arts and crafts section of our local bookstore, I found this book Doodle It-All by Boutique-Sha. Just the perfect book to get me started. The drawing tutorials look easy and fun. For a beginner like me, this book is a good start.

Let's see what doodles I can come up with. Till next update!

Autumn sipping away like a bottle of wine

2024-08-06T13:53:00.011+08:00

Images from Anthropologie Home

Ok, August. Please don't linger like an endless January since we are all excited for the "ber" months- for September, October and all things fall and pumpkin spice. Here's a sneak peek of Anthropologie Home's Pumpkin and Fall Shop to get you in the mood for our all-time favorite season.

Have a lovely August!

Recipe: Chocolate Madeleines

2024-07-21T19:23:00.005+08:00

French Madeleines are a cross between a cookie and a cake and they are so easy to bake for coffee or tea time. Check out this recipe from King Arthur Flour. You can omit the orange juice and add vanilla if you like.

Recipe: Breakfast turkey stuffing strata

2024-06-04T13:39:00.010+08:00

My uncle gave me some packaged turkey stuffing and I have no turkey bird to stuff it into (it’s not even fall or halloween yet!). I didn’t know what to make out of it so I searched the web and found out that yes, it can be repurposed into a baked casserole dish. So here it goes- a breakfast strata that can be customized. Add chopped bell peppers, sweet onions, ham or sausage if you please.

Check out the basic recipe below:

Breakfast Turkey Stuffing Strata

Yield: 24

Don’t know what to do with leftover turkey stuffing? You can turn it into a filling breakfast strata that’s also wonderful for dinner.

Instructions

Measure 2 cups of packaged turkey stuffing. Put in a bowl and add milk.
Add beaten eggs.
Sprinkle fresh herbs. Combine until well mixed.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350F until cheese becomes golden brown.

Crafty video channels that inspire me

2024-05-28T00:20:00.047+08:00

Crochet, cooking and flea market shopping with Ame Life

Blogs are not just the only source of arts and crafts inspiration. Youtube is a great resource as well for virtually anything under the sun. I jokingly call it Youtube University! If you like cooking, baking or home keeping there's a treasure trove of great content that's aesthetically produced.

These are some of my favorite lifestyle channels that inspire me to improve my mindset, try a new recipe or redo my space. Hope you find something that you will enjoy as well. Happy watching!

Crafting, crocheting and embroidery with Kiko Sabi

Decor and cottagecore aesthetics with Indoora World-Cottage Library

The Cottage Fairy

Cultivating favorite hobbies with Cups and Thoughts

Osaka & Kyoto: A retro cartoon travelogue

2024-05-25T00:27:00.012+08:00

Japan is a land of anime fantasy turned reality. If you are into Studio Ghibli movies and nostalgic Japanese anime cartoons, you would be delighted to turn your Japan travel photos into authentic retro cartoons with the help of SNOW AI profile app. It makes for unique travel storytelling. Seeing yourself as a cartoon character in Japan is so fun. Travel adventure reimagined as a cartoon story!

We visited Kyoto and Osaka lately and enjoyed the sights, sounds and culinary delights of these prefectures. Just like any other Japanese city, Osaka and Kyoto exceeded our expectations and it's like we stepped into a different dimension where everything we see in cartoon movies just came to life! In this little travelogue, I am exploring the sights in my retro cartoonized self. So kawaii!

Me, Cathy and Aisha in our retro cartoon selves

The kitsune (fox) Tori gate guardian leading to Fushimi Inari Taisha

At the vermillion Tori gates of Fushimi Inari

Stopping for washi tapes and postcards at the Ghibli Store in Higashiyama

Catching a souvenir photo with the Hokan-ji or Yasaka Pagoda in the background

At Gion Tatsumi Bridge in the Geisha district

At the Gion Geisha Village alley admiring the stone streets, lanterns and old wooden houses

Lost in vermillion haze

A visit to Nara Park to see (and feed) the world famous Nara deers. They are so polite and cute! They bow to ask for deer cookies.

Capping off a long walk at the park with Amao Strawberry soft serve ice cream. Only Y500!

Walking the stone streets of Kyoto on a warm spring day can leave one hungry and thirsty! Good thing there are vending machines (jidouhanbaiki) everywhere!

Rainy day in Dotounbori, Osaka. Rainy days are so romantic in Japan!

Do you see Glico man billboard?

At the entrance of Osaka Castle (Osaka-jo) overlooking a beautiful moat

On the train to everywhere!

The obligatory hotel room selfie!

Wallpaper inspo for your tech

2024-04-18T09:27:00.003+08:00

Is your mobile phone or desktop computer looking drab lately? Dress it up with some booklover inspired wallpaper art via Frankie Magazine. Just like that—instant inspiration!

Hold your favorite season close to your heart

2024-04-16T15:09:00.011+08:00

For someone living in a tropical country, the sights, sounds and scents of each unfurling season is a novelty that can only be experienced vicariously. When the autumn season visits the western hemisphere, we can taste once again the limited edition pumpkin spiced lattes and frappes from Starbucks or the occasional fresh/dried permissions from Korea. When spring comes, Daiso is full of sakura themed items. You would know it's winter when our local Uniqlo or H&M stores start stocking their shelves with lightweight puffer jackets and woolen jackets. Of course, we have no use for these seasonal items unless we pack our bags and hie off to a four-season country for a whirlwind seasonal escape.

Many years ago, I boldly enthused that spring is my favorite season. While sipping bottled coffee in a park bench somewhere in Yeouido Park, I enjoyed a cloudless blue sky framed by swaying cherry blossom trees. A sudden gust of wind swept through the trees and pretty pink petals started to fall. It left me with a tinge of sadness and wonder knowing that cherry blossom petals fall to the ground 5 centimeters per second. How do you freeze the 5 seconds before it all becomes a distant spring memory?

Then there’s autumn. Recently, my friend and I visited Yoyogi Park during Tokyo’s red leaf peak. Crunchy ginko leaves crackled beneath our feet and golden hour light filtered through the bare branches of forest trees. It was a beautiful, bejeweled memory and the woods shimmered in delight.

In contrast to spring, autumn's beauty lies in the deepening of colors. Burgundy, wine, vermillion, cocoa, burnt orange and other earthy tones are colors that I learned to appreciate now that I'm in my late forties. Maybe my pink/pastel era is officially over and I really am maturing as a person as reflected in my evolving preference for colors.

Autumn is now my favorite season. Growing older that might change that preference. I'm glad that with technological modernity, I don't need to press a summer flower in between the pages of a heavy dictionary. I just need to photograph a moment in time and just like the scrapbooks of yore, preserve core memories in a perfectly bound photobook.

Tutorial: IPad stylus pencil holder

2024-04-10T17:13:00.010+08:00

Nowadays, it is very easy to order stuff from the Internet that we forget how handmade feels! I’m quite guilty of seeing my sewing machine gather dust and forgetting about sewing supplies I purchased just recently. It’s the height of the dry season and afternoons are getting unbearable with the heat and humidity. It’s good to distract oneself from the horrid weather by making handmade stuff on weekends or holidays.

Today happens to be a national holiday and I’ve been wanting to get a new iPad case with pencil holder. Instead of ordering one from the Internet, I fancied I should create one out of unused felt cloth and sewing notions. As I am still in cottagecore mode, why not make something handmade? By default, I use a stylus pencil since I hate fingerprint marks on my iPad. The problem is, I keep misplacing the stylus pencils all the time!

This craft project can also be used as a pencil or pen holder for notebooks and journals. Feel free to customize for your individual style!

IPad Stylus Pencil Holder Tutorial

Materials:

3/4 inch garter
piece of felt
Sewing machine/thread and needle
Decorative embellishment such ss fabric label, buttons etc.

Instructions:

1. Measure the length of your IPad or tablet computer casing.

2. Make a snugly fitting garter band around the length of the IPad case. Secure edges using sewing machine. You can handsew as well.

3. Take a piece of felt cloth with approximate dimensions of 6” x 5.5” and fold into 1/3 parts.

4. Insert felt cloth around the garter and fold into 1/3 creases. . Sew around the edges as pictured above.

5. Decorate felt holder with embellishment of your choice. Ta-daa! No more misplaced pens from now on! Check out all my other DIY tutorials here.

Cottagecore inspiration

2024-04-10T01:12:00.013+08:00

Longing to live in a tiny cottage in the woods surrounded by fragrant trees and fields of flowers? Envision a magical place filled with nostalgia, handmade things and a dreamy, peaceful lifestyle. Some people actually live this dream but this lifestyle is quite impossible and remote for a city dweller like me. I can just dream in the meantime! One can actually enjoy a cottagecore inspired life without living in a cottage. It's a mindset!

To get us started on our cottagecore inspired life, let's start with a few things:

Image from DIY Candy

Cottagecore DIY crafts round-up from DIY Candy

The Cottage Fairy Youtube

The Cottage Fairy is the best vlog to inspire you on your cottagecore journey

Image from Poesie

Enjoy a sweet cottagecore vive with these dreamy scents from Poesie

Essential cottagecore reading list from Everand

Essential cottagecore playlist from Spotify

Recipe: Coffee Walnut Graham Bars

2024-03-06T19:31:00.005+08:00

Too pressed for time to make anything from scratch? Look no further as this recipe only requires the bare minimum ingredients. No need for baking powder or anything like that. Check out the recipe below.

Breakfast Turkey Stuffing Strata

Yield: 24

Don’t know what to do with leftover turkey stuffing? You can turn it into a filling breakfast strata that’s also wonderful for dinner.

Instructions

Measure 2 cups of packaged turkey stuffing. Put in a bowl and add milk.
Add beaten eggs.
Sprinkle fresh herbs. Combine until well mixed.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350F until cheese becomes golden brown.

Snow White and the 7 cats

2024-02-18T14:43:00.012+08:00

At the end of the day, we want a mini world to retreat to, a doll house to be exact. In a parallel universe, I imagine myself to be my favorite modern day Disney Princess- Snow White. In my fairy tale, I am a working girl living with 7 cats!

After a hectic, tiring day at the office I would go home and to my girly pink room and my cats would be waiting for me, adorably waiting for their belly rubs and tickles.

Wow. What a sweet life! All the stresses of the day disappear as soon as I hear the cute purrs and meows of my kitty cats!