Update on my vacation to-do list

Things that I can cross off the list:

-worked for WG at the restaurant [I also was at restaurant almost everyday--some days were more work than others]

-baked bread pudding, red velvet cupcakes, chocolate mocha cupcakes, and cheesecake

-made shave ice syrup [can't remember what flavors]

-cleaned my house

-went to icp, had lunch with friend and learned the ins and outs of twitter

-made strawberry ice cream for me and WG to have @ home

-got a new tire for my truck

-got my hair cut and colored

-went to the farmers market got so white peaches for us

Things I didn't get to do

-find my upholstery webbing for the tote bag [I hope I didn't throw this out in one my get rid of crap days]

-layout my dress for cutting

-massage

-plant my begonias

-start twittering [though I started this on Monday]

-and the biggest thing--REST!

I was quite tired after this vacation. Too much to do plus the terrible hot weather and several bouts of sinus headaches. I need another week off. 

[PS: The restaurant is on twitter now, @CafeBua. We starting off slow and been positng links to our lunch special. Will post more and come Fall hope to do some twitter-only promotion. If you are in the area or know someone that is. Let them know about our twitter or facebook.]

Random stuff in my office

I was taking a picture of the second sock when I decided get a few pictures of random stuff in my office.

The Wall of me

A collection of drawings from my office mates. This is what designers do during meetings. A great b/w painting (top right) by Steve Keene that an office mate gave because he thought it would go well with my stuff. It's next to Steve Keene post card that friend sent to me.

My favorite office device

is the the silver hole puncher in the red container, next to non-usuable eyeglasses [over the counter magnifying glasses, now too weak, but nice frames]. It's an old metal, very heavy, single hole punch. That I make good use of [more for my crafting or gifts items]. I love the look and weight of it, wish they would make more things like this.

Another coin container

Yet another coin container that is slowing disappearing. I think I had purpose for collecting the coins for years. Now with the restaurant, I'm finally making good use of them.

Jade Elephant

Working another pouch prototype. Just starting to lay things out. I really like this brand of rice bags. Love the imagery and words, but this bag ravels so much. I need to singe the edge to make it stop. Found this check fabric in my crazy fabric stash, thinking of making a front pocket and adding some trim. Not sure what I'm lining it with, most likely a rice bag. Will post the finish piece.


Still looking for my upholstery webbing for my tote. I have a little bit of this red webbing but I still need more. I think the upholstery webbing would add more contrast to it. The red webbing is a bit too matchy for me. Maybe I have some other crazy fabric to make into handles. 

Wish I did more when I was on vacation. Just wasn't motivated when I realize I would have to hunt for the webbing. Stay tune for the finish piece.

Cherry Tomatoes

cherry tomato, a photo by april_yurie on Flickr.

This is second batch of ripening tomatoes. Tomato plant like this very sunny spot near my front door. To the right of it, is my ever ripening chili pepper. It quite giant, only produced this one fruit and has been taking it sweet time to ripen. But at least, I'm getting something unlike last year's zucchini :(

Hats and Old Ladies

I decided to wear a hat into the city today. On top of being very hot [provides good sun protection], people wear hats in the NYC, so I wouldn't stick out like a odd soul. I've had this hat for years and have tried to wear it on many occasions but never found the right time or place. [bought it right before I started to work in NJ] It has as small brim with a tall crown and leather band. It fits me perfectly and I just like the shape of it on my head.

Fast forward to Port Authority [Bus station NYC], I'm waiting for my friend, hat on my head and people watching as I observe there were lots of people with the same idea that I had--good day for a hat. What I also observed was the majority of the hat wearers with asian, ladies and old.

Sigh. . . . I guess I just have to accept the fact, I'm one of those old Asian ladies with a hat. [but at least my hat was cool!]

What I've done so far on my vacation

It's Wednesday and haven't done too much on vacation to-do list. Let's see if my list is getting any shorter. [I won't mention the previous Satuday and Sunday--too crabby]

-worked for WG at the restaurant

-baked bread pudding, red velvet cupcakes and chocolate mocha cupcakes [this is still in progress waiting for my chocolate frosting to firm up before I pipe it on the cupcake]

-cleaned the first floor of the house

-scheduled lunch with friend and icp

-made strawberry ice cream for me and WG to have @ home

-got a new tire for my truck [the 4th tire this year and 1 year before. My commute is hell]

Today

-making my appt for hair cut and massage

-making cheesecake [I'm hoping I can get two done, one to freeze]

-find my upholstery webbing for the tote bag [I hope I didn't throw this out in one my get rid of crap days]

-layout my dress for cutting

-vacuum upstairs

Thursday

-lunch in NYC

-show @ icp

-learn how to twitter with style

Friday

-haircut and massage

-farmer's market

-start twittering [Yes, I've decided to do this for the restaurant--who knew I had this much to say, 2 blogs, 2 facebooks and now twitter. I'm so tired]

Let's see how much more I get done. Stay tune! Hope to post some pictures of the chocolate mocha cupcakes on Cafe Bua blog and fb. [for me, this is my kind of cupcake]

By the way, green highlight text in brackets, [was blue before but conflicted with the links color] is sort me talking out loud to myself, adding more information or rambling. Maybe a sign of being crazy! :)

My summer vacation

Today is my official start to my summer vacation. Hopeful it will not be anything like my Saturday and Sunday--working with a headache and massively crabby.

I have a huge list of things to do for myself this week. If I can get half of it done, I'll be happy. My vacation to-do list:

-get set up with Twitter
-organize my office (so I can find things easier)
-work on some bag prototypes
-plant a few more plants
-cut my hair
-get a massage
-have lunch in NYC with a friend
-see a show @ icp
-sew a dress for myself

Add my weekly to-do:
-bake
-laundry
-clean the house
-bills

And on top of that I'm giving WG break and working for him on Tuesday. I guess I'm going to be busy. At least I know, I have lunch and icp scheduled. Yah!

I hope I can get some pictures from this week.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Flower One Dot coin purse

I found a pattern for these crocheted flower that are joined into a larger piece to make a bag, Mollie's Flowers. I thought it was beautiful and I could make up the flower in my spare time between project. My idea was to make a bag in a neutral color, charcoal or beige so the flowers becomes a texture and just highlight one flower center on the bag as an accent.

First the flowers. I needed to try out the flower pattern with scrap yarn. To see if it was possible to make tons of them in to the bag I wanted. These turn into into pins for x-mas gift for the office. I got a little crazy with the centers and add contrasting yarn and some beading.

After finishing the pins, I kind of realized that I think I needed to downsize my idea. The bag I envisioned would take 100s of flowers and I don't think I have the stick-with-it-ness to make all of the same flowers over and over. So I decided on a round coin purse. Fast forward a couple of years. 

Tah dah! Flower One Dot coin purse. An early birthday present for my niece [I'm alway late with gifts--like 6 months late] since she came for a visit a couple of days before her birthday.  

The inside is lined with some Japanese crepe fabric and the back is a plain crocheted circle in rusty red with red zipper. Hope she can use it.