SHIM + SONS

hello, spring break!

We're off to Hong Kong + Macau. See you in a few weeks!

food inspiration

There was a point in time when I was reading dozens of craft + design related blogs. Slowly over time I became overwhelmed with the number of blogs + sites out there. I find that too much inspiration can be paralyzing for my creativity. But when it comes to food blogs, I just cannot get enough. I could look at photographs of mouth-watering food all day long.

I noticed that I'm much more likely to try a new recipe if: 1) the list of ingredients are short and simple, 2) there is a pretty picture to accompany the recipe and 3) a friend has tested + approved of it. Martha flickered about Molly's broccoli soup with lemon-chive cream and I knew I had to try it out. And I have...twice. It is so good and pared with some yummy crusty bread, makes for a nice mid-morning snack or lunch. I've also been making a batch of Smitten Kitchen's Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies every week for the past month. [I like to make cookie dough, store in in the fridge and make small batches here and there since I love warm cookies. In fact I have a batch baking right now.]

 

I think I've made Myra's banana bread about a hundred times already. I usually make them into muffins, half with mini chocolate chips [Baby J doesn't like chocolate]. What are your favorite on-line recipes? Food blogs? Food websites?

I've also been inspired by others to do some meal planning. There are so many wonderful [and inexpensive] korean restaurants around town, so we definitely eat out more now that we're living in Korea. But I know the benefits of having some staples [e.g., homemade chicken broth] in the fridge.

 

Do you have any tips or helpful advice regarding meal planning? If so, please share in the comments below and I'll draw one name on April 9 and send you one of my favorite utensil sets.

crafting playdate

 

teatowels + tassies

A few months ago I was looking around for some new teatowels but couldn't find any here in Busan. So when I saw this gold gingham linen in Leslie's shop I was inspired to make my own teatowels. The texture of the fabric is softer than a lot of the linens I have in my stash and this particular linen seems to soften with each washing. I cut the piece of fabric in half [50cm x 55 cm] and was planning to press and sew a 1/4" inch hem around the edges but noticed how nice the raw edges looked. So I opted to "fray" the edges [by pulling individual strings from each side] a bit more and in no time at all I had a set of teatowels.

And they happen to match the yummy pecan + lemon tassies I made over the weekend. [The recipe is from Martha Stewart's Cookies book.]

There is a lot more crafting and sewing I want to do, but I know it will have to wait until next month. Big J finishes up his second term in a few days and then we're heading off to Hong Kong + Macau for spring break. We seem to be burning through Appah's hotel points + frequent flyer miles, but it is totally worth it. If anyone has suggestions for places to go/eat/shop in Hong Kong or Macau, please let me know!

wisps

she'll never get tired of the view

[Thanks for sharing your fun random facts with me. It helped confirm my suspicions that we're all interesting in our own way. Winners of the giveaway are #71-Mindy + #74 Katie C.]

keeping it simple

 

fabric balloon + black sharpie

kraft paper + ribbon

i need to make a tooth pillow

:: 2.18.09 :: Big J lost his first tooth ::

:: stuck the tooth in his drawstring bag ::

:: next morning there was a gold $1 coin inside::

 

:: he was a happy camper ::

i love...

:: a pop of yellow + heath ceramics ::

:: yellow string + bright white paper  ::

[Button It Up book giveaway winner is #62 = Nancy!]

she is a selective procrastinator

Back in May of 2007, the lovely Martha tagged me with the random 7 meme. And shortly after Patricia tagged me for another meme and then Jenny for another. And here we are in March of 2009 and I am finally getting around to it. Ha! Actually in my defense I started writing it back in May of 2007 and I just never finished it. Although I have been writing in my online journal for almost four years now I find it a little difficult to do these memes [I know, this makes no sense at all]. Which is why I usually flake out when it comes to memes or online interviews and that sort of thing [although I'm making improvements in this department--case in point, my recent daily for Design for Mankind].

 

Speaking of interviews, there is a nifty article in the latest Mothering magazine about "Crafty Mamas" and I was one of the five mothers interviewed for the article. Other crafty mamas include Amanda Blake Soule, Amy Karol, Eren San Pedro and Stephanie Congdon Barnes. I haven't received my copy yet but I did see a draft and I have to say Jean Van't Hul did a wonderful job writing the article and making my babbling sound nice and coherent. I think it will be available online shortly [and there is actually a photograph of me in there...although I admit I have a fake smile in the photograph only because by that point Appah had taken about 100 photographs of me and the boys and my cheeks were getting tired. The photographs on this post are some of the many outtakes from our photo shoot. Ha, even Baby J was getting tired!] [edited: You can find the article right here -- page 42.]

Anyhoo...on to the meme. I went with 17 random things instead of 7...just because.

1. I have a chunk of hair that is wavy, the rest is straight. This funky hair condition developed after giving birth to Baby J [thank you, postnatal hormones]. Baby J has a really curly patch in the same spot on his head. [edited: In the past two years it has actually straightened out quite a bit.]

2. Everyone in my family shares the same initials. Coincidence? Yes and no.

3. I don't like egg yolks. I've tried but can't get past the chalky taste.

4. I have selective memory. I can remember what someone was wearing when I first met them but I cannot for the life of me recall the storyline of a movie. I also have a terrible memory when it comes to remembering jokes, either I forget the joke itself and remember the punchline or vice versa. Even the jokes I've made up myself [oh yes, I used to make up my own jokes all the time]. On the other hand, Appah has a really good memory when it comes to movies and jokes.

5. I've always wanted to own and drive a motorcycle. Appah has nixed this idea many times. He sold his motorcycle before we started dating and given that I'm a bit clumsy, I know I'll never own one. But I like to dream. [edited: This is no longer my dream. After my little "accident" in Thailand I am now content with the idea of being a backseat driver!]

6. I have tiny handwriting. People usually comment that they think it is a font. I've also noticed my handwriting has gotten worse over the years and I'm trying to work on this.

7. I have never purchased anything from ebay.

8. I'm a compulsive light-switcher-offer and door-closer.

9. When my boys want their vitamins in the morning, I will often make them "shake their bootie". No reason, other than it makes me laugh that they'll dance on command.

10. I make up songs ALL the time. And no, I won't sing one for you. Never. Ever.

11. I don't like nicknames. My sister is the only person who can call me by a nickname. Period.

12. I just joined Facebook a few months ago. I resisted for so long and I still am not fond of it. I think the layout is unattractive and all the updated feeds drive me crazy.

13. My dream job would be to work as a contributor for Martha Stewart Kids. Yes, I know the magazine no longer exists, but I still dream that it will be revived one day.

14. I am violently ticklish. If you even attempt to tickle me I cannot be held responsible for the bodily harm I will inflict upon you. I may be petite, but I know how to punch [the perks of growing up with a big brother].

15. I can eat a lot. No one believes me until they see it for themselves.

16. I won't spend a lot of money on tops, but I invest in good quality jeans [except for the $12 pair of Forever 21 skinny jeans which I wear ALL the time].

17. I am easily embarassed. [On the other hand Appah never gets embarassed.] In fact when someone does something really ridiculous I get embarassed for them!

I'm not going to "tag" anyone, but if you tell me something about yourself I'll randomly select one [or two] people [on Friday the 13th] and send you something nifty from Korea.

P.S. For those who inquired, I bought the children's chopsticks here in Korea. You can also find them online here and here. Unfortunately they don't make "plain versions" but they are so convenient I lifted my ban on character based goods in our household.