Thursday, December 31, 2009

Good Bye 2009!

I love when Christmas time rolls along. It's too bad it has already come to an end. Although the holiday decoration isn't everything, I sure love the festive spirit they bring. The glowing lights warm my heart and remind me of endless opportunities.

I love being in the kitchen, raising the volume to some holiday music, swaying my hips to the rhythm, all the while sweet aromas fill me up.

I especially love listening to this song:
~~~Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Ev'rybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And ev'ry mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways,
"Merry Christmas to you." ~~~

The Grove


The Grove
at The Grove one winter night '09
Good bye 2009! And Hello 2010~ Wishing you the very best in health, in happiness and prosperity! I hope the new year brings you many, many blessings.
Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Hello Blog

It's been a while since my last post. Hello blog! Lots of things have happened between then and now. I finally graduated from Art Center! I expected to feel great, I told myself I'll finally have some freedom. No. No. I really miss school, despite all the sleepless nights and stress that comes from it. I need that schedule, I need the strict deadline, and I need those brutal critiques. I just hope it's prepared me to jump in the real world.

The new year is approaching, and so fast. I really can't keep track of the days anymore, they are getting blurred together. Some special moments, some sparks, but I want some glowing action, haha. I want some excitement back in my life and I know the new year is going throw a lot of obstacles my way. Finding a job, but most importantly, finding a job that I will actually enjoy is my priority. :)
2009 has been the most challenging year yet. I've had to jump over many hurdles, come face to face with situations I thought I'd never have to encounter in my lifetime- but I can't take back what has happened, it was never in my power. If there was any good in the bad, I have grown from the experience. It may have been a blessing in disguise.

In the New Year I hope for the best, most importantly I wish for good health and happiness. Cheers to a wonderful New Year! Happy New Year!

I also wish the best for my cutie, Lee Seung Gi! I don't think his 'Will you marry me?' song will ever grow old on me. The perfect proposal song! 나랑 결혼해줄래?

Friday, October 23, 2009

Two Way Street

Relationships are so odd and yet one of the most fundamental things in your life. The world cannot function without our relationships, whether it is between people, animals, nature, materials, and so on.

To cultivate a relationship, it's a two way street.


I simply don't want to read in between the lines anymore.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Seung Gi, my love! <3


우리 승기 앨범나왔데요~
마치 마법에 걸린것처럼 내 마음을 설레게하는 이승기.
목소리만 들어도 미소가 절로나게하는 이승기.
텔레비전에 비치는 모슴만 보면 너무 예쁜 우리 승기.
스트레스를 싸르르 녹이는 이승이
랄라라~ 랄라라~ 이승기~
내가 너무너무 존경하고, 좋아하고, 사랑하는 이승기.
우리 승기 앨범나왔데요!!

이승기 4집 'Shadow'

많이 사랑해주세요!


Lee Seung Gi's 4th album 'Shadow'

I just preordered it on yesasia. I can't wait for it to arrive!!!! I wish I could go on 1박2일 and meet him and the other cast members! I just love them!

I am most definitely going to his concert when he comes in November. My brother says he'll go with me and that'll be my birthday present. lol. I cannot wait!

Friday, September 18, 2009

i <3 ZOYA

OKAY... so I'm a little (or very) crazy for nail polish these days.

zoya nail polish
My new favorite nail polish is ZOYA. This is one of the best nail polishes I've ever tried. It's long lasting, free of toulene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor.
My polished nails never last very long because I wash my hands like every fifteen minutes and because I draw, paint, cook, wash dishes and do other various things, the polishes seem to wear off like nothing. But with the zoya polishes, I went a week with very minimal chipping (chipping only on the index fingers)! I am very impressed~ The nail polish glides on SO smoothly and it dries fairly fast. ($6 per bottle)
If you're interested, check it out here
I also updated my shop these past few days with new patterns

Monday, September 14, 2009

:) My two weekends

Reading
Hello everyone and hello blog! I've started school so my posting will probably be sporadic. But I'll try my best to update. Let's see... school is tense as usual. I'm afraid that my mindset has not switched over from my breakmode. I find myself slipping away as I'm working on an assignment. Like right now, I'm supposed to be researching, brainstorming idea, reading and writing summaries, working on layouts for my book, making color mock ups for PDL, finishing up multiples, working on doll designs, learning a design program, and so much more! Basically working my butt off.. but here I am updating my blog. haha. I'm a bit overwhelmed, which is why I'm stepping a away from my work for a moment to breathe. And my blog allows me to breathe and have some fun! To think about the good times, the bad and everything in between!

So the weekend before I started school I was craving steamed crab! Actually, I've been craving it for so long, but it wasn't until then I got to have myself some crab. It was really good and of course, smelly. Liz, Edward and I had a crab feast!

Crab

Then in the evening I called over my beautiful ladies (Connie, Liz, Stella) and we had a one of those potluck-esque things. We had so much food! Stella brought naan bread hummus and wine, Connie brought vietnamese sandwiches and rolls, and Elizabeth and I hit up trader joes and got mochi icecream, creme brulee, dessert wine (Moscato), quiche and we made a baby spring salad with balsamic vinaigrette, hot dogs. We ate, we drank, we chatted, and... they left!

Dinner Party with my chicas

My parents were out and my friends were gone so I watched a scary movie with my brother and his friends. I forget the name of the movie.. it was like darkness falls or something like that. It was bleh.

That was Labor day weekend, this weekend (or last weekend) my brother threw a BBQ party for his friend, Eric because he's leaving for Nor cal soon. So I called over Liz and we decided to sneak in their party and just freeload off of their food.. but little did we know that we would turn into the semi-hostesses. We ended up in front of the grill alongside my brother! hah!

BBQ Party for Eric
Edward on the grill
BBQ party for Eric
Gulp, Chop, Nom Nom
BBQ Party for Eric
Paul and Jeff. Shhh~~ they are my (2/3) favorites amongst my bro's friends.

Later that evening, the eight of us went to karaoke! It was so much fun!
Karaoke-ing
Liz commented how Edward looked like he was a leader of a mafia with his arms out like that. hahaha
Karaoke-ing
They were trying to photograph us. We escaped many, but not this one. Apparently, I was too wild with the tambourine and I bruised my left index finger, it turned purplish brown.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Dim Sum

Today I had Dimsum for the third time. I had dimsum (carts) when I was in NY last December for the first time and it was pretty good. In fact, I started craving it once I came back to Cali. So I had it again in chinatown with no carts, it was a disappointment. I'm not sure if it was the taste or the fact that they didn't have the carts going around, quite possibly both. So today I drove out to Monterey Park with my friend Liz and tried dimsum at a place called NBC Seafood.

The restaurant was spacious and clean inside. All the chairs were covered in cream colored fabrics and the servers were very attentive. We barely got seated when three carts came to us and started offering different dishes to us. I think in a span of like 2 minutes we had our table filled with five to six different dishes. And they would clear the table once each dish was empty and come by every two minutes to fill our teapot. I've never been to a restuarant that had such blazing fast service! I was actually overwhelmed.

Anyways, on to the real point, the food was quite delicious! And here are some pictures. The lighting was quite horrible inside so most of the pictures were blurry. I managed to salvage a few photos. I apologize if I have totally butchered their names.

dimsum
Shrimp Sticks

dimsum
Shrimp enclosed in noodles with sauce

dimsum
Pork Dumpings - Ham Shui Gok

dimsum
Sweet BBQ Pork Buns

We also had steamed bbq pork buns, shrimp shu mai, shrimp and scallion pan-fried dumplings, and steamed shrimp dumplings. Yea, we ate a lot, but we couldn't really tell cause they kept clearing the table. After that, we got severe food coma and we were so thirsty.. probably from all the MSG consumption. My mouth is still dry no matter how much I drink. (tsk..tsk.. msg)

Helen WIP
Here's where I'm at on Helen Bell's Multiplication Table.

Helen WIP

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Shopping finds.

A couple days ago I went shopping! I will share with you my finds!
I've already told you how I have a new fascination for nail polish right? Well... when I start liking something I want more of it so I stocked up on some colors I've been wanting.

mini OPI haul
From left to right (dark room, ocean love potion, and russian navy in matte)
I love the matte look. It's true that it doesn't last nearly as long as the other polishes, but the nail polish dries almost instantly as it gets layed on. It's truly amazing.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion
So yes I gave in to the hype of the Urban Decays Primer Potion and got one to try out for myself. I don't gunk on makeup but I do like to wear eyeshadow every once in a while when it's a special occasion or when my spirits need some uplifting. And I hate it how it just sweats off, or the colors turn murky, etc. Well I hear that this is the cure to all of that and more. It's supposed to keep your eye shadow lasting all day long with no creasing, and the color stays more vibrant. Sounds pretty amazing, no?

Cute Japanese loofah
I couldn't pass up this japanese loofah. It's just too cute. I thought it was a pig until I brought it home. Is it a pink rabbit? dog? I don't know, but isn't it cute? It's so cute I don't want to use it.
Remember that you need to throw out your loofahs once every couple months, because it's a great place for bacteria build up. Also you should air it and let it dry, opposed to leaving them inside the shower. And wash them out pretty often. Or opt for a dry rub instead, before stepping into the shower/bath.

Also, I have been stitching on this little piece.
blackwork cross stitch
I really love the way it looks. This photo really does it no justice. I believe it's my first time attempting blackwork and I am loving the results. This lovely pattern can be found in Mary Hickmott's New Stitches Monthly Issue Ten.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Jibber Jabber

Hello everyone!
I don't have any pictures or anything particulary entertaining to say, but you are still welcomed to read if you're interested. I warn you that this post might be non-sensical as it is late into the night.
I got home after a fun night out with my friends and when I come home after meeting my friends, I simply just cannot fall asleep. I don't know if it's cause I've had a sugar-rush or if it's from the excitement of getting together with my friends... but whatever I can't seem to just sleep, as tired as I am. And like I don't have enough trouble trying to fall asleep already!

I am feeling very talkative today which is abnormal for me, so if you wanted to know my darkest secrets I just might spill the beans! hahaha.
I love my dear friends. I don't have many friends, but I do have a few really sincere ones that I just adore. I believe quality over quantity in this case and many others ;) I really don't know what I'd do without them. They are so SO SOOOOOO amazing times 100!
I was feeling a little poopy throughout last week and so I stayed cooped up inside the house which made me fee even crappier. I am so glad that I got some air today cause goodness it feels great. (Well, the air is just horrible here. The fires are burning again which worries me greatly! I live in the valley enclosed by the mountains so there is a lot of brush in the area and we do have quite a lot of fires. :( )
You know how it gets when you get together with your close friends, you talk about the most random things and laugh so hard until you cry, and sometimes you just cry on their shoulders... and other times you whisper and giggle. Very fun times if ya know what I mean! ;)

Apparently, I have a new fascination for nail polish. I am into the matte look nowadays. I just got a matte navy blue polish and I'm getting a matte metallic red one shipped out to me this week! Excited!! And I got two more today while shopping at Sephora, I got a blue/black and creamy turquoise. :D
Oh but I gotta lay-off on the toes for a bit cause I have ingrown nails and if you've ever had in-grown nails you know how painful that is. It's a really bothersome kind of pain. Well... last week the pain was so unbearable that I got 0 hour 0 minute sleep that night. My mom was wondering what I was doing up at like 7am so I showed her my toe which was red and throbbing and she told me to take off the polish first and to stop cutting my toe nails round. Then she swabbed it and put neosporin (ILOVEneosporin), gave me aspirin and bandaged it up. It felt so good/nice. I love getting special treatment from my mommy ^^ (yes, once a baby, always your mommy's baby!) HEHEHEH *BIG SMILE*

End of jibber jabber! Peace out! (wait.. did I really say that?)

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Dad's helper

dad
My first attempt at waste canvas

Today (or technically yesterday) I was daddy's helper. We were cutting down new base boards for the bathroom. It was really tiring especially cause we didn't have the right tools for the job. Seriously if we had an industrial cut-off saw the job would have been a piece of cake, but it was oldschool with just a saw, an old saw at that. The 45 degree angles were really killer!
My dad usually teams up with my brother for these jobs, but he's been so busy these days, so I was the perfect candidate. It was really exhausting, but it was a great father-daughter bonding time.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sweatpants! Check~

Painting
So I'm back at it again! This time I'm painting the bathroom. It looks really orange in the photo but it's a more subdued tone. I would say a mix between pumpkin and terra cotta.
I'm not in love with the color yet, let's just say I've had an ongoing battle between peach and orange house paints, I despise them. So why did I paint the room in this orange copper? My aunt is extremely knowledgeable and talented with picking out paint colors, keeping the layout, scale, and harmony in mind so I completely trust her judgment on this. I'm sure when the job is done and we bring in the hardware and accessories back in, the room will come to life!
It'll be my third day today and I didn't know such a small room would take so long! It literally takes eight coats to get even coverage, I'm not even exagerrating! I will admit, I do get OCD when I paint so there is no easy-medium with this kind of thing. It's either good or it's not! Yes, because of this mentality my body takes a beating.. but it's totally worth it in the end!
I'm also going to learn how to grout tile this weekend! I'm really excited about that! :D

Lee Seung Gi (이승기 3집)
I also received my precious Lee Seung Gi CD in the mail! (Doing the happy dance!)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Wonderful weekend~

cross stitch rainbow
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
I had a wonderful one myself! On Friday I had a movie night with Elizabeth. We watched a Korean movie, 과속스캔들 (Speed Scandal) while eating rotisserie chicken, frozen yogurt and chomping on kettle popcorn. An interesting combination I know. My friends and I have this thing where we must eat salty/savory after something sweet and vice versa.
Speed Scandal was a really cute comedic movie especially with Wang Seok Hyun. He's such an adorable baby actor!


After the movie we were just talking. It was dark when we started and by the end of the conversation the sun was up and shining. My head was pounding/ringing from not getting any sleep, but it was so much fun! I think it was the first time we actually talked through the night.

Saturday was spent re-cooperating from the previous night of no sleep. I finally managed to get up during the early evening and decided cut my hair. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, but I really needed a haircut! Now it's shoulder length, layered with bangs! It's definitely something different but I have mixed feelings about the haircut. I hope it'll grow on me soon.

Cooking

Today I played with Elizabeth again. We made Pad-see-ew (Thai food) and it was pretty good. Since we're always cooking together, we're gonna start compiling our recipes and make a cook book and eventually a cooking blog. Tomorrow we're gonna make lemon madeleines with our friend Shanna. :)

Helen Bells Multiplication Table

And I managed to get a little further on Helen Bells Multiplication Table. I've been working on it a little by little every night.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Oh Happy Day~

Remember how I was working on portfolio to get accepted into a class? Well, I got accepted into the class! Please be happy for me. I had extra bags under my eyes working on this. Of course, that comes from procrastination and neglecting my drawing.. but that is another story.

So today I drove to school for the third time this week! That's a lot considering I'm not even in term! I asked my mom to tag along and we had a late lunch/dinner in Old Pasadena. I love spending time with my mom. In fact, I will actually throw a tantrum if I don't get my share of mom time. I can be a baby at times. x) She's most definitely my best friend and a wonderful mother. I was having a really heartfelt talk about my future and really what else can I say... the pefect dose of support, love, faith and discipline! My mom is the best! I love you umma!


I also got a new pair of shorts at H&M, my most favorite shorts in the world! It's like the only thing I wear during summer and its so, so comfortable, also the perfect length! It's the eighth one to join my family, though four of them have had their time and I must say goodbye. (I'm the kind of person that buys three of the same pants in different colors if the design looks good on me. It saves me a lot of time and trouble when shopping.)

Oh and the most thrilling part of the day was taking my brother out for his first driving lesson. I was dreading this moment cause I heard many horrible stories! But it wasn't bad at all, no one was hurt and there were no harsh words exchanged! Sure my head was jerking back and forth for the first 20 minutes, but once he got the hang of it, it wasn't bad at all. I just remember repeating "smoothly" and "brake" ^_^ Once he got home, he was like "nuna, umma, I did good huh?" times like 10! -.-; Hah, my cutie baby bro!

Oh happy day!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Oh~ Sweet Memories!

Anyways, a couple nights ago I suddenly had a 젝스키스 binge. Oh~ I remember the times when I was a crazy fan and stayed glued in front of the TV laying kisses on my dear hoony while rewinding and watching the same song over and over again! Not to mention my room was wall-papered with their posters. Oh yes, my love for sechskies was big and strong. I remember the day when I heard that they disbanded, I spent the day with tears streaming down my face. The good ol' middle school days!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Aug 10

A beautiful mess

After returning home from school, I took one of those useless kind of naps for a couple hours. I couldn't really sleep, and yet I wasn't able to function, so I was sprawled out on the sofa zoning in and out. I think my body just decided to let out because I had been so tense the past couple of days.

Anyways, its been so long since my last cross-stitching update. When September comes, I'm gonna stop cross-stitching cold-turkey style. Reason being I'm going back to school. Fortunately, I draw with a lot of embroidery, so I won't be totally deprived.
This is the lastest of the projects:

Multiplication table


Helen Bell's Multiplication Table

The instant I saw this, I just knew I had to get it. So I got it and I started! I made some adjustments to the placement of the numbers and I also made a couple mistakes on the grid so I need to rip that out.

I'm feeling 홍경민 (Hong Kyung Min) Tonight. hahahahahahha! Everyone starts cracking up when I rock out with this song. I wonder why :P

"아름다운 그녀가 어어어 어어어~
나에게로 다가와
흔들리는 머릿결 어어어 어어어
나의 숨이 멋는다"
(from 홍경민의 Tonight)

Yay!

Watercolor paints

So I'm sitting in front of the computer still in my pj's with bed hair. It feels quite gross but I just slipped in the last pages of my drawings into the itoya folder and I'm done! Now I just need to drive to school in the morning to turn it in.

My brother is back from his retreat and he seems to have been deprived of sleep, he totally conked out after he came home. Anyways, it good to see him back safe and sound! Whenever he's gone, I usually get bored and lonely, but this time around I didn't feel his emptiness because I was totally focused on finishing the class portfolio. Actually, I kind of enjoyed it cause I got to hog two computers and sit on the comfy chair while dominating the living room and the study. hahaha

Now I'm planning to unwind with a cup of hot tea listening to music, but first I must take a shower! Oh how I would love for some hot apple cider right now. It was so, so good, especially with the beautiful view. I usually don't like whipped cream but this one was so light and fluffy, I was licking it off the stir stick. Yum!

Hot apple cider

Hot apple cider

Rocky Point Restaurant

Carmel

"흘러가는 구름따라 어디론가 떠날볼까
시원한 바람따라 두팔벌려 달려볼까
화창한 햇살보며 파도소리 귀기울여
그대의 미소와 함께 꿈을 싣고 여행을가"
{from 이승기의 Paradise}

Saturday, August 8, 2009

So sweet.

Grace표 케잌

"Oh~ You and I, oh you and I
왜 이렇게, 왜 이렇게 좋아요
I can see the sunlight through your eyes
Everyday, oh everyday
웃게 해줄게
서툴겠지만 그대위해서만"
{from 박정현의 달아요}
Listening to sweet love songs feels so nice!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Insomnia

I can't seem to fall asleep. Maybe it's the pressure of putting together my portfolio or maybe it's because I'm alone in the darkness. It's just one of those nights when I'm so immersed in my thoughts and emotional. I will eventually drift off to sleep and I will wake up and tell myself I was being silly. But tonight I'm feeling rather down.

이럴때면 가끔 한번씩 생각난다.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Up and Down

Carmel

I miss Carmel. There's something soothing about being near the waters. Although I can't swim, I could spend hours just watching the waves glide towards me, while skipping along the shores and kicking the sand beneath my feet.
I dug up more photos from our trip. E and I decided to make a lovely sunset dinner for the last night. It was picture perfect, a five * dinner with a five * view, with my best friend!
Now I just needed my 승기<3 to serenade me away to 결혼해줄래 and I would've said yes to him in a split second! And I'm sure E had Mr. Nick Khun drifting around and about in her head. But that is a different story to which I would have to devote a whole blog post to, or maybe two or three or even a 100.

Carmel
We set it out on the balcony on top of E's picnic mat

Carmel
Steak and seafood kabobs on a bed of orzo.

Carmel
Now that is one sexy plate!

Carmel
I love how our glasses frosted up!

Cheers to a wonderful week! :)

Monday, July 27, 2009

Staying cool in the summer is easy peasy!

Juicy. Sweet. Refreshing!

Watermelon Hwa-Chae

What's better than winding down with a mouthful of watermelon on a hot summer day!
I've been hooked on making su-bak hwa-chae (수박화채) Basically the same idea as a fruit salad except using watermelon as the main.
For this one I used refrigerated watermelon, lychee, and peach, that way you can eat it right away and it'll be nice and cold!
1. Split the watermelon in half.
2.Cut the edges in a zig-zag, and scoop up the watermelon with a spoon (a melon scooper would be ideal, but I couldn't find one) Keep all the yummy juices.
3. Cut open fresh lychee, or open and drain a can of lychee
4. Slice a peach into 1/4" thickness, then press the peach with a cute cutter. (Stuff the leftovers in your mouth while singing merrily)
5. Toss the trio in the juices and voila! YUMMMMMY!


Watermelon Hwa-Chae
I think I'm gonna go make myself one right now! Ciao.
How do you stay cool in the summer?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I'm BACK!!

I've been MIA for a long time! And that comes with a large update! I've started a painting project on the first floor of our house last month which is still running on. I'm taking it slow and doing one room per week, or so I'd like to think. ;) All our walls have been cream/ivory/off-white for the past 10 years or so, so yes we needed a change! First off was the living room, which went from cream to a lavender colour. Our choice was Olympics 'Ancestral' after seeing it on the paint swatches. In the beginning it took some getting used to, because it changed so drastically throughout the day, depending on the light situation. But after a week or so, our family totally fell in love with it. The colour brngs a feminine and romantic feel which complements the dark chocolate furniture. I also stained the wooden mantle above the fireplace from a colonial maple to a dark chocolate. It's uber sexy, in my honest opinion. ;) hahaha! And then I painted a large mirror that was hanging on the wooden panel to a white and gave it an antique look. Those two additional changes (mantle + mirror) really transformed the living room, in a good way and we love it! It so interesting how a coat of paint makes all the difference!
Unfornately, silly me forgot to take before photos, but I do have an inbetween shot. :P And I haven't gotten to the after photos.

Living Room
The second project was by far the easiest, we painted the entryway and the stairway wall, from an ivory to a light sage colour. It looks good and it makes our white door stand out from the walls now.

Then I tackled the third project with my mom, "THE KITCHEN, including all the cabinetry". It went from a yellowish cream to a organic basil colour, and the cabinets are now wearing white, and we love it! I under-estimated the work that comes with it... Well... let's just say I made a mental note to self that next time we will have that professionally painted.
The fourth project was the family room. We had the ugliest varnished wooden panels on the walls and it was my wish to get them re-painted... but I did not get my way till now. Now I love myself some wood, but these panels were so varnished to the point of cheapness!! Yes!! Feels so great to have it covered up in a nice natural taupe!
I know a picture speaks a thousand words, but after all the painting my body went into lazy mode so I skipped out on the photos. :P Perhaps in the near future~ But I did go up north to Carmel and had the most relaxing week by the waters!


Asilomar Beach

Asilomar Beach

Baby Baby Bertha

We made Baby Baby Bertha @ Asilomar Beach


Point Lobos (China Cove)

Point Lobos (China Cove)


Leaving behind traces in the sand

Point Lobos (China Cove)


China Cove

Point Lobos (China Cove)


Filling my basket at Candy Baron

Cannery Row - "Candy Barons"
I was fulfilling my sweet desires with salt water taffy!

Carmel

Sunset view from our suite