Sundaze 235

Hello, you.

Happy Sundaze. It’s nice to see you.

And, welcome to a somewhat newly refreshed Daisybutter! The new look has been just over a week in the making, and I’m so pleased with how the site is looking again. After all, it’d been a little while since we last spruced things up around here. I’m hoping things will be easier and more fun for you to explore and discover now – there’s easy access to my bookish content and Being British-Chinese posts. Moreover, I’ve finally merged my professional portfolio with this blog to streamline things and mark a brand new chapter.

Back on track

Things feel far more back on track this week than they have in quite some time. It’s true what the disembodied ‘they’ say: time is the best healer. Finally I’m back to some decent sleep, making good progress at the gym, indulging in hobbies simply in moderation, and I’m even on top of everything work-wise. More than ever, I realise how important it is to plug away daily at self-care and invest in my mental health.

I’ve realised that I’m more sensitive than I remembered or realised. Both emotionally and environmentally, I’m affected by any and many small changes around me. And that’s not a bad thing. Not at all.

A very exciting reunion in London!

After a busy day in the office on Tuesday, I hot-footed it across London for a very important dinner at Shoryu Ramen (one of my personal old favourites, although there are some better ramen joints in town). The reason? My girl Sophia is back in the UK… for good! Sophia and I are old-school blogging friends who met in-person for the first time when I moved to Hong Kong, and the rest is history. I’m so excited that she’s made the move home too and that we can say we live in the same country again! We had a huge catch-up, along with her friend Romy, and it was the most heart-warming evening ever.

A short break

I took a little time off work this week and, boy, was it needed! The M.O. was to pick up my new-to-me car – I promise I’ll stop talking about it soon… – but I hadn’t realised how exhausted I was. I spent much of my two days just napping on the sofa! Sometimes, it’s just like that. Your girl is now the proud owner of her first electric car AND all of her errands were completely long before the weekend. Perfect perfect perfect.

The mid-year start

On Friday I excitedly cracked into my new bullet journal. These days I tend to use up two entire Papier hardback notebooks for 12 months, especially as I regularly write long-form journal entries and make impromptu lists all the time. There’s no greater feeling than a new bujo except… welcoming in new crystals to my sanctuary too! I selected a few crystals from Jaye’s new venture, Hunting for Magic, and I’m besotted. Their edit is gorgeous, and they clearly list out the properties and uses for each stone. It’s safe to say I’m very ready to embrace the second half of the year.

Links I’ve Loved

This is the Papier notebook that I’m using for my latest bullet journal! Enjoy 10% off your first order by shopping with me.
Lily generously shared a money diary on her blog – it’s a great insight into how a yoga teacher spends a week in Dubai.
Even though home ownership has been delayed a little, I’m still forever interested in IKEA hacks! These ones on The Everygirl look amazing.
Megan shared her July to December 2022 bullet journal setup. The minimal approach looks great and is so inspiring. *inspects own bujo full of stickers and trackers*
Over at & Chai, we finally released our extended Soy Melts collection! All of our core fragrances are now available in Soy Melt form, a lighter way to experience our scents. We ship internationally, too.