Inspiration Board

Update 1 on 101 list

2009-03-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

3. Try a new restaurant once a month
So far we have tried Kabul Kabob House and Minh's. At Kabul Kabob we had vegetarian sambusas, qabli palaw (lamb with rice carrots and raisins) and the sultani kabob platter with lamb and chicken kabobs with rice. Yum! At Minh's, a Vietnamese restaurant, we had the assorted appetizer, all of it delicious, and I had caramelized fish bowl but I don't remember what Wyatt had! Anyway, so far so good! I'm hoping we can go to Eamonn's in Alexandria soon - it's an Irish chipper! Yuuuum.

4. Try a new recipe once a month
Moroccan Spiced Chicken was the first recipe. I really liked it, very spicy.

6. Apply to CET, ACC, and scholarships
Done, wait-listed to ACC and accepted to CET!

16. Wear a dress for 33 days (3/33) I bought a new dress from Ross for $8 that I love - I can't wait until it's warmer so I can wear it more.

38. Freeze a meal a weekend
Going pretty well, I think we missed one weekend. So far it's just been pot pies and chili frozen, I haven't come up with other things we like that are good to freeze. Suggestions?

56. Remove make up with cold cream and wash face every night for a month
Done!

62. Go to the career counselor
Done but totally unhelpful.

70. Learn to knit and knit something to completion
As of today, learning via knittinghelp.com and I WILL knit something. I was using pencils and they weren't so easy to work with so I think I need to get some real needles.

78. Make 2 new “everyday” dresses
First one is in progress! The first one is from this pattern:

"Very easy" just as it says. I made a really simple mockup without the lining in less than an hour. The fabric for the final product is waiting to be cut now, it's kind of a peachy-orange color, appropriate because it is peach skin.

Making a list

2009-03-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Day Zero Project and a friend of mine, a month ago I made a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. So here we go:
Start: Feb 15, 2009
End: November 13, 2011

~~completed~~ in progress failed

Experience

1. ~~Write 101 list~~
2. Document 101 list online
3. Try a new restaurant once a month: Kabul Kabob House, Himalayan Heritage, Akasaka, Lalibela, Sichuan Pavilion, Minh's, Eamonn's
4. Try a new recipe once a month
5. Visit a museum 20 times: Freer Gallery, Sackler Gallery
6. ~~Apply to CET, ACC, and scholarships~~
7. ~~Go to China~~
8. ~~Write at least 5 sentences about the day for each day in China~~
9. Go see a movie once every two months: Avatar, Nine, District Nine, Ponyo
10. Go to Lake Powell
11. Write 5 things that made me happy that day every day for 30 days
12. Listen to all iTunes songs and get rid of what I don’t like
13. ~~Travel to a state I’ve never been to before~~: Nevada
14. Adopt a pet
15. Add 20 new recipes to the cookbook
16. ~~Wear a dress for 33 days~~
17. Sign up for postcrossing.com
18. Send 5 postcards
19. ~~Go to a ball and wear my pink dress~~
20. ~~Go to an aquarium~~
21. Have photos taken
22. Go camping
23. ~~Buy fancy handmade soap off Etsy and try it~~ Bought at Crafty Bastards from 8th Street Soap Kitchen and will be buying more!
24. Go swing dancing
25. ~~Go on a paddle boat~~
26. Buy 15 new pairs of earrings: 2 pairs in China
27. Make the fancy chocolate chip cookies
28. Go to the opera
29. Go horseback riding
30. ~~Go kayaking~~ Went right before China and got the worst sunburn on my ear I've ever had.
31. Read all the books I own that haven’t read/finished yet, except those bought for school
32. Go to a water park
33. ~~Find the perfect trench coat~~
34. Go to DC game night
35. Visit DC threads
36. Go on a picnic

Responsibility

37. Clean a part of the house every other week (dust, vacuum, clean bathroom and kitchen – pick one, and do it, then do the next the next week)
38. Freeze a meal a weekend
39. Pack my bag for school and pack lunch the night before every night for 30 days
40. Go to the gym/hike/bike/swim/kayak/etc. 3 times a week for a month
41. Spend 15 minutes a day cleaning up the apartment for a month
42. Put laundry away immediately after finishing three times in a row
43. Oops! Write a new one here, I duplicated one!
44. ~~Eliminate use of plastic bags while shopping~~
45. Organize photos on computer, order prints of those I like
46. Back up photo onto hard drive
47. Back up music onto hard drive
48. Get angry – stop and say “I am angry because…” 5 times and calm down!
49. Send out thank you cards for every gift I receive
50. Write down important things to know in case of emergency (phone numbers, passwords, etc.)
51. Floss every day for a month
52. Do 5 push ups
53. Donate to This American Life
54. Get direct deposit into new account and close old account
55. ~~Buy noise canceling headphones for metro rides~~ A gift from my Dad for Christmas!
56. ~~Remove make up with cold cream and wash face every night for a month~~
57. Get bike fixed Bike broken beyond repair while I was in China... so maybe buy a new bike later...

Educate

58. Finish Heisig’s Hanzi 1 (0/1500)
59. Decide topic of thesis
60. Do a directed reading/write a thesis
61. Graduate with honors
62. ~~Go to the career counselor~~
63. Decide whether to take GRE
64. Determine 5 viable career paths
65. Find a real job
66. Read an article in a foreign language once a month that’s not assigned
67. ~~Find out where and how to take HSK and if possible take it~~ Test date is on my graduation day, so no.

Create

68. Make something for 2 hours every week
69. Have sewing machine professionally serviced
70. Learn to knit and knit something to completion
71. Learn to crochet again and do the same
72. Screenprint
73. Blockprint
74. Foam print
75. Learn how to use camera
76. Take a picture a day for a month
77. Make a letterpress
78. Make 2 new “everyday” dresses
79. ~~Make a new skirt~~
80. ~~Make a new shirt~~
81. Make a new bag
82. Make pillows for living room
83. Sign up for Wardrobe Refashion
84. ~~Handmake gifts for the holidays~~ Dishcloths and gloves.
85. Learn to play a song on guitar
86. Practice violin for an hour or more for three days in a row
87. Recreate the terrariums but with moss
88. Grow basil again

Relationships

89. Post on friend-journal once a week
90. Send out holiday cards
91. ~~Go to the ocean with Wyatt~~ Went to Rehoboth Beach and got out butts kicked by big waves!
92. Reunite with the Force Five for a weekend together
93. Go to NY with Wyatt
94. Call a friend for at least 20 minutes once a month

Future

95. Create 3 new goals in 2010 and 3 new goals in 2011
96. 2010
97. 2010
98. 2010
99. 2011
100. 2011
101. 2011

I've written a few times already about how everything is going, so I will try repost them over here.

Alternative to the Plates

2008-07-09T20:55:00.001-07:00

From Nea.

Miniatures

2008-07-07T09:54:00.001-07:00

Cool photos from erin tyner photography.

Decorating the walls

2008-06-18T16:00:00.001-07:00

The moment I saw this, I fell in love (and though I know I have seen it several times since, I have not been able to find any of the sources!)
So, this past week I found the perfect thing to begin my own set of plates while at my favorite store back home, essentials:

Actually, I wanted this whole set of Thomas Paul Sea Life plates as well as the shell coasters and giant tortoise serving tray, but who can justify all that melamine? Anyway, I just got the one goldfish. And I love it.
Then today, I go to read The Pioneer Woman and she had posted about this wonderful decoupage tray by John Derian she impulse-bought years ago. Sounds like my kind of thing, obviously. Except for the price tag. But hey, maybe someday I can afford a $48 5 3/4" plate to hang on my wall and stare at. Or maybe it will just serve as more inspiration for the rest of my plates...

And a bell jar, for good measure.

Fantasy

2008-06-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

Fun photographs from Yeondoo Jung via How About Orange.

If I Had a Million Dollars

2008-05-21T11:44:00.001-07:00

Top: Naumkeag Gardens, Cake via Martha Stewart Weddings, Bouquet from ?, Bella Figura "Garland" Invitation, Vera Wang Collection
Middle: Boutonniere via The Knot, The London Collection Knightsbridge by Wedgewood, Centerpiece by ?
Bottom: Manolo Blahnik shoes, Smitherman and Barnwell flower girl dress, emunique white peacock earrings, emunique fresh water pearl cuff, 4th Avenue Soap Co. pear vanilla oatmeal soap

Oh!!!

2008-05-02T05:04:00.000-07:00

That's it, no need to look for inspiration anywhere else.
The Conde Nast Store.

Green, yellow, and white

2008-02-20T07:02:00.001-08:00

Here's my first wedding inspiration board, which I made a few months ago before we were even engaged. Getting ahead of myself maybe? My first instinct for colors were white, yellow, and green. I think white has to be included in the color scheme because available/affordable linens will most likely be white. And if I'm going bright (and it's a wedding, it should look happy!) then why not go REALLY bright with lovely prime yellow (alternating with gold) and green? I have continued to collect photos in this color scheme, with so many beautiful things!

Unfortunately, I don't remember all the photo sources because I saved most of them without names!

Muse Weddings

2008-02-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

I saw Muse Weddings first referenced on Brooklyn Bride a month or two ago - before the engagement. NOW, I love it. The convenience of having all my ideas online to access whenever I want is great!

I use it to keep track of all my ideas (of which there are many because I am constantly reading wedding, design, and fashion blogs). I also update my (as of yet imaginary) budget.

Finding an Engagement Ring

2008-02-12T16:37:00.001-08:00

Because the ring is the first thing everyone wants to know about (or second, after "When's the date") I thought I'd write a little about mine, and my experience looking for an unusual ring! (Mine is the middle one below!)

When we started talking about engagement and W asked me to send him pictures of rings I liked, I realized that what I wanted was something we both loved that was unique (and inexpensive). So I avoided the diamond solitaire like the plague and looked for different stones (sapphire, garnet), and details! And vintage rings are an option I love!
The rings above, including my own, are all from the Marlene Harris Collection. I looked into other vintage, estate, and antique ring sites, as well:
Fay Cullen
Weston Jewelry

I also looked at rings at Kay, Zales, Macy's, and other jewelry and department stores. Rather than looking through the typical engagement rings, I looked through the cocktail rings and alternative stones to diamonds. There are a lot of really beautiful and interesting ones!

Finally, here is another LOVE of mine (in fact, I might have to buy myself one or ask for it as a gift because I love it so much). It's nontraditional but I think it has a beautiful sentiment, and is so nice and simple! Forget-Me-Knot ring by Kiel Mead (photo from Elsewares)

What's unusual about this picture?

2008-02-12T14:32:00.000-08:00

My hair? (It's long now!)
My dorm? the Mac PhotoBooth picture? no and no...
The ring on my finger! Of course! I'm engaged, and things are craaaazzyyyyy, but great. Everyone who even knows this blog exists has heard the story in person, so I will let a photo from my phone do all the talking about the proposal itself.

So now of course all I want to do is read wedding blogs and hang out with W, hence the new favorites added to my sidebar. But, in the next few months, that is probably all I will want to blog about - wedding planning, of course.

Here's to an exciting New Year!

"Apartment Therapy"

2007-12-21T18:56:00.001-08:00

Looking forward to getting my own apartment, so here's some "Under $100" inspiration. Well, except for one photo.

"Here!" coat rack, fabrics from ReproDepot, couch and coffee table local craigslist finds, Goldfish print, Fifi print, Urban Outfitters coat rack

Can't wait!

Something new

2007-10-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

The other weekend I was home alone for three and a half days with nothing to do but study for midterms. And cook!

I love these chicken stir fry wraps! And yes, I watch Martha Stewart. Already preparing for retirement in my own way (although, how could she still be on when I retire??? Now that would be scary...)

Of course I had to wear my apron. And of course we have no light in our little kitchen.

The next morning I declared "waffle morning" and ate entirely too many waffles. I believe the recipe said "serves 6" or some such ridiculous number of people. I believe they meant 6 ants (or perhaps people of regularly sized appetites...pshaw).

I also have been doing much blog-surfing (too much) and Etsy (window) shopping. The perils of midterms week. Oh, and a reminder to myself : zennioptical.com, for my next pair of glasses (much thanks to the girls in my draping class for the suggestion). I just need to figure out my new prescription - all the glasses are cute! I wonder how they are so cheap?!

Underwater Etsy

2007-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

If I weren't ~~incredibly lazy~~ so busy, I would have an Etsy store! And I would have booths at craft shows with all the fun things I sew. Instead, I just sew for myself. And currently for my draping and patternmaking professor, as well (who gets the most accuracy out of me that will ever be found anywhere in me. I realize it's a good thing I didn't go to fashion school). Anyway, instead, I browse Etsy for other people's things!

Canger

Tree's Eye View

seasprayblue

Horse of a Different Color

So maybe I'm feeling homesick today

2007-09-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

For Wyatt

2007-08-20T13:43:00.001-07:00

A package that has finally arrived at its destination :)

2007-08-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

With family, at last week's wedding

2007-08-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

A little love for my MacBook's built-in-camera

2007-08-14T07:59:00.001-07:00

It may be true that I will never be good at baking. Maybe it's just too close to chemistry. And I did not enjoy chemistry.

I've started to learn to cook, trying out different recipes from Cooking Light and my mom's cookbooks. My photos aren't beautiful (and note the black pancake at the bottom of the pile), but it's been going well (unlike the cookies)!
--
This Sunday was my cousin's wedding and it was a beautiful ceremony in Miranda's parents' yard. They won't know it's here, but congratulations Miranda and Cleo! It was grea to see the family, many of whom I have never met/seen since I was a baby!
I wore a dress that I made over a year ago and finally hemmed recently.

The belt was from an estate sale in New Jersey.

Then put on my apron for the first of several unsatisfactory baking attempts.

The apron is still in-progress. My roommate and I decided to make the silliest, most ridiculous aprons we could for the coming school year in celebration of having a kitchen in our dorm room.

Fall is here, hear the yell, back to school, ring the bell...

2007-08-10T14:50:00.001-07:00

Well, I can tell that we aren't gonna be friends, Sodexho.

Sodexho is a provider of food at my university. Generally, our meal plan is centered around a debit card that can be used at restaurants around campus, but Sodexho provides the food to our campus center. Unfortunately, they are awful. Awful meaning, 45 minutes to get a plain bagel awful. Good thing I could avoid them last year.

This year:
"The total sophomore mandatory Colonial Cash dining spending remains unchanged at
$2,500. However, beginning with the 07/08 academic year, $500 of the $2,500
($250 per semester) are considered the Sodexho dining funds and must be spent
within the 13 different Sodexho managed dining venues"

Okay, okay, and if I don't use it, it rolls over and I'm supposed to spend it next semester, until eventually, you give it back when I never spend it, like all my other funds, right?

"All unused Colonial Cash and Sodexho dining funds will roll over from the end of
the fall semester into the spring semester. However any unused Sodexho dining
funds will expire and be forfeited at the end of the spring semester"

Well, great. Great. When I can be a little more eloquent, I'm going to come up with a complaint to e-mail, but now I'm just angry!

---

In happier news, my fall schedule is set and ready so I can purchase my $450 of books any time now. Whoo!

History of Decorative Arts: European Heritage (3)
Changing styles of European furniture, textiles, ceramics, and glass in the context of general trends in art history and changing patterns in economic, technological, social, and cultural history. From antiquity to the modern age.

Biological Anthropology (4)
Survey of human evolution, genetics and physical variation, and primatology. Regular laboratory exercises.

Advanced Chinese I–II (3–3)
Continuation of reading of texts, essay writing practice, and oral presentation and discussion. (Academic year)

European Civilization in Its World Context (3)
Introduction to the history of Europe and the West, emphasizing primary sources and their interpretation. Hist 40: From 1715 to the present.

Pattern Making (3)
The study of pattern drafting and draping methods, based on contemporary and historical clothing, through lecture and class work.

Excuse me as I do a little dance over the last one.

Dorm room shopping

2007-08-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend is tax-free weekend in Massachusetts, which means Mom and I will be doing all my back-to-college-now-with-kitchen shopping Saturday (as we have a wedding to attend on Sunday! Congrats to my cousin). The list is long of things we need but highlights are:
-George Foreman grill - hoping for a multifunction one with the waffle iron option! Mmmmm waffles
-A big ol' kitchen set with measuring cups, spatulas, a grater... I saw a nice looking set on Target's website that's probably cheaper than buying individually.
-A toaster? Really, will we have room for this? I hope so. Especially if the waffle iron doesn't come through (I need my waffles, frozen or not)
-Dishes!
And so, I am looking into Corelle sets. Because we have them at home and they are quite sturdy (not to mention safe for use everywhere, and cheap..)

This is too much. And the kind of thing that I will like for a day and then find ridiculous. Yet, I don't want just a plain old white set, even if we will probably drop many of them...

Simple. Bad? Good? I don't know.

Looking at these again, I don't think I really like them.
I guess I will have to ask the roommate her opinion!
---
In my dream world, I'd buy sets of dishes from Utsuwa-no-Yakata. There's a store in Mitsuwa (Japanese marketplace, Edgewater, NJ - among others). And I always love Asian food. Too bad I couldn't find photos of my favorite set!

Damask day

2007-08-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

Fabric shopping is something I don't need to do any more of for quite a while (especially since a very nice woman has generously given me two large bags of fabric in the last two days, in addition to two file boxes full of patterns! I'm eyeing a Christian Dior jacket pattern for my to-do list..) But anyway. I always always always can look at more fabric. Especially beautiful designs like those on the Westminster Fibers website.

I love damask recently, especially these two by Joel Dewberry (he has so many great designs!). I'd love to see a wall of the red but that might be a little overwhelming. So the "linen" is here for comparison. It's a good thing I don't have a house of my own yet, because who knows how I'd make any decisions!

This (somewhat bad screen cap of) Maroon 5 video, "This Love", also has one of those color schemes that I love in it. Surprisingly, I still like it even now - I was a little worried just now getting the capture that it wouldn't be what I remembered, but I do love the orange and pink. And of course cherry blossoms.

These three capture that same feeling pretty well for me! Although I'm not the biggest fan of the dark green..
I'm thinking I might have to really get a bolt or two of some of these. Someday they may come in handy...

Because I need somewhere...

2007-08-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

...to keep everything I see and love online together! This is my inspiration board. More fun than hiding it all away in files on my computer, never to be found again.

The screen capture is from the website of an artist I met recently through work. He has an exhibit-in-progress entitled the 100 Faces of War Experience . The portraits really are amazing in person - the one in the screen capture being one of those paintings that takes you by surprise when you're standing next to it.