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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Goodbye Korea

 It's been a little over one year, but we're now saying goodbye to Korea and heading to Washington DC.  Daegu, South Korea has been an interesting, fun and somewhat challenging place for us to live, but I am overall going to miss a lot of people, food and things you can only do and find in Korea.  (Like food delivery for cheap and so hot in 10 minutes or less.)  Didn't think I was going to say that six months ago, when I was craving anything but Korean, but the Korean food is really delicious and so very inexpensive.  Not sure what our last meal, will be, but we have been making very careful decisions for the last 12 meals we've have left here.
 We both picked #4 the Youngyang (Chestnuts, jujubes and pine nuts).  Delicious!!!
The amount of food is overwhelming, but so beautiful and interesting. We always order the smallest dinner at this restaurant 해밥달밥 Haebapdalbap (translated means sun rice, moon rice), which is still over 25 plates that come out. My hubby loves this style called Hanjeongsik, which is around $11 USD each.  This place is mostly vegetarian which I love and the atmosphere is cozy.


We start our new adventure tomorrow morning at 4:00am to catch a cab and fly out of Daegu, with a layover in Incheon (Seoul) to Narita (Tokyo) to SFO to Charlotte, to Reagan International (DC), where we will take a taxi to Maryland about 30 minutes to an hour away.  I've estimated that it will be about 34 hours of travel.  I hope it will not be more.  Ahh...

I'll write more when we get to our end destination.

c

Update:  Our trip took 34 hours from catching the cab in Daegu to being dropped off in front of the hotel in Maryland.   

Haebapdalbap
If you are ever in Daegu and interested in checking this place out.  I can email you subway directions or an address to give to the cab driver, since this link is in Korean and I can't read Korean either. 

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

little lion and ramblings

This is just a random doodle I did between my word sketches while waiting for the train a couple weeks ago. I was actually thinking about embroidering this image, but ran out of time.  So for now,  I'm going to cheat and use it as my sketch word of the week, "Childish" that Traci selected. :)

Traci - I like your pick this week.  I should draw something new, but this was much easier for a slacker like me.

My word for this week is "Ardent".   I will post Ardent along with the next word Traci selects in two weeks. 

My husband and I are leaving this week for our honeymoon part deux. We are going on our second honeymoon.  Well, technically it's 2.5 honeymoons, since Korea partly counts. :)

We were going to take a nerdy architectural trip to Shanghai to see the Design Expo that will be ending in October, but sadly our visas could not be issued in time. Plus the cost of the visa is totally outrageous. So instead, we are going to a different communist country that only requires a two week waiting period to get a visa. Good old Vietnam. We're actually going to Hanoi and staying in the Northern region the whole time. Now I wish we worked Angkor Wat into this trip, because we are sooo close and this may be one of our last big trip in Asia.

For this trip I plan on eating my way through Northern Vietnam and praying I don't see a snake in my path.  I really don't like jungles.

I can't wait to eat tons of delicious crispy non sweet baguettes.  FYI - All breads in Korea tend to be sweet, even garlic bread. Oh and just because it looks like a baguette, doesn't mean it's a baguette.  It might feel crispy, but it's a trick. And if it looks like wheat, it's probably red bean.  Korea is the "land of contradiction".  (Well to me and all the other foreigners I meet.)  Koreans actually refer to Korea as the "land of the morning calm".  Not sure where they get this...

Oddly the first meal I was planning on having when I came back to Portland was a banh mi sandwich with a bubble tea.  Yum!

So obviously the first thing on my agenda is to get a banh mi sandwich and Vietnamese coffee. I can't wait!!! A banh mi slathered with pate with the works... mmm and real strong coffee.  (How about, just regular coffee that will taste like coffee!)  I seriously cannot wait!

I'll post photos and sketches when I get back.

c

Don't forget to check Simple Huis.

Monday, September 27, 2010

snack pockets

I know I've been slacking on the posts this month, but I have been keeping busy sewing and crafting away. 
These little reusable snack pockets have been on my list-to-do for a while and I decided to whip them up late one night.  They seriously took no time at all.  For me, deciding on the fabric took longer.  

Here is a great pattern from a grey affair, that is easy to follow.  I modified the size of my pockets slightly and made two at 5.5 x 6.5 and one larger at 6.5 x 8.

I don't know the names or manufacturer of the fabrics I used.  They're just plain cotton quilting/calico's, that end up in most fabric stores States side.  I bought them at the fabric market in Korea (wholesale), since they make the fabric close to here.  Next time I go to the fabric market, I'll take a picture of the market since it's pretty dizzying. :)  I do enjoy the fabric market here and will miss it when we leave.

sketching warm-up... 'discombobulated, rupture & taut'

I've been slacking with posting these sketches.  I finished the last two immediately, but have been stuck on discombobulated, which was the first sketch I started and the most challenging.

So I'm finally posting all three at once. 

Just a recap: Three weeks ago, I selected 'discombobulated', Traci selected 'rupture' after that and I selected 'taut' last week.  I'm finally all caught up. 

Okay Traci, what's next?
                            "Discombobulated"

                             "Rupture"

                            "Taut"

Don't forget to check out Traci's sketches at Simple Huis.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Sharky tea infuser

This ingenious and whimsical little guy was designed by Pablo Matteoda from Argentina.

I was looking for a tea infuser a while back and found Sharky, which is still a concept and not for sell just yet.  I came across this again today, so I thought I'd share this with you all.

Sharky came in third place, of the "Beyond Silver" competition at Design Boom.
www.designboom.com

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Such a bitter sweet morning

That's right.  I'm talking about The Hunger Games series.  So far the best series of books I've read all year.

I lounged all morning in bed to finish the last hundred pages of the "Mockingjay".  
Now I'm mopey and feeling sad, because the story was so wonderful, exciting and entertaining that I just didn't want it to end.  I'm going through a withdraw phase now. 

Although the the sweet part is, my husband made me breakfast this morning.  Taro pancakes, eggs, bacon and coffee.  (He makes the best pancakes.  Better than my mom. :)  The taro was an experiment, which was surprisingly delicious.)  While he was cooking I was trying to slow down my reading pace so that I could savor every detail of the final book.

(Sorry no pic's of breakfast) :o

I do have another book lined up to start, but let's be real.  Even without my current pessimistic attitude the next couple of books will be a disappointment, since I will still be thinking about "The Hunger Games".
Is anyone reading something amazing that might distract me from thinking about the best books ever?!?

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Riff with Bruce & Rex

"Bruce, Rex, get into the pool!"

This is an embroidery of my dear friend Riff and his ex-pets (oranda goldfish).  Bruce is a black oranda at the top right / Rex is a red oranda towards the bottom / Riff is the one in flippers and goggles.

This embroidery image turned out a little different from the last one I did of my husband and Steve.  I've been having a difficult time lately, because everything I draw comes out realistic, which is not the look I'm going for.  I'm going to give Riff another try in the future, when I can loosen up my sketches. 

Riffy - Sorry you look lumpy.  It's not you, but a different stuffing I had at home. :)  I'm going to re-stuff it. 

My husband was lying on you last night... thought you would like that. hee hee :)



*Fabric is a natural linen with navy thread

Monday, September 6, 2010

sketching warm-up... 'merriment'

"Merriment"

I am really enjoying these black ink drawings/doodles.  I keep saying I'm going to use color for the next sketch, but at the end really like the simple feel of the black and white.

There's just to many color options sometimes, which makes it hard to pick just one.

Detail of "merriment"



Next sketch: discombobulated

See Simple Huis...

Monday, August 30, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

dabbling with embroidery...


"A Boy and his Dog"

This is a pillow I embroidered for my husband as an anniversary gift for our first year being married.  It's an abstract depiction of him and Steve the Dog.  (Steve kind of looks like a sausage.)  



This all started, because I got an idea of a quilt design I wanted to make, which I could possibly create using a darning or stippling foot on my sewing machine.  Otherwise known as free-motion quilting.

So I started researching free-motion quilting and figured out that I could also use this same foot for embroider.  I purchased a darning foot for my machine and slightly modified it to work for me.

I would have posted my progress as I practiced this embroidery technique, but wanted to surprise my husband.  So I'm giving this to you all at once.   I practiced three times, before I attempted the pillow above.

This is my third practice piece.
"Dead Roach"

My husband was traveling for work the last couple of weeks and while we were chatting on the phone, I asked him to name an animal, since I was having a design block.  He was being difficult and said, "cockroach".  I know he was being funny, because he hates bugs and all crawly things.  So I went ahead and did a cockroach... but dead (to make it interesting).  Now he's living with it on our sofa for the time being and I'm now contemplating a dead bird pillow. :)


My second practice piece.
"Crustacean"
This little shrimp was great to practice because of all his legs.

My very first embroidery attempt.
"Pink Elephant"
I'm also pondering stitching my friends... :)

*Riffy- do you have a picture of Bruce and Rex?  I'd like to try and design one of you and the two of them.  hee hee

sketching warm-up... 'something hot'

Ahh, the sketching continues.
"Something Hot"


Next sketch:  Capricious
(It's my favorite word and I love how it sounds.)

See Traci's sketch at Simple Huis.

Monday, August 9, 2010

sketching warm-up... 'something cold'


Now I'm craving a soft serve yogurt in a cake cone...
It was 30 degree's Celsius this morning at 7:30.  Last I heard, it was 34 Celsius with hundred percent humidity.  Being from the Pacific Northwest, this feels like sheer hell.  My husband might say I'm overreacting, but he's from Arizona.   I sure do miss more temperate weather and rain.  Although the occasional monsoon is pretty fun here.  I like to walk in it when it's pouring.  The Koreans here think I'm crazy.


Check out Traci's "something cold" at Simple Huis.

Monday, August 2, 2010

sketching warm-up... 'detail of something in my house'

We are drawing a detail of something from our home.  It can be architectural or a close-up of an object, but it has to be something from my home.

I'm late posting this drawing.  Sorry Traci, I had house guests this weekend and didn't have time until today.  

I did panic a little today, when I couldn't see anything architectural to draw in my house.  All my furniture has really smooth straight lines, which is boring to draw and the 'architectural' detail in our house is really bad here.  So, I went with our sofa...


The next sketch is more of a phrase then a word or object, but it's all I can think of here in the jungle heat of Korea. How about we post on Wednesday for you and Thursday for me? Does that work for you T?

Phrase: Something cold...

Don't forget to check out Traci's drawing at Simple Huis.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

sketching warm-up... 'chair'


When I joined this Sketchbook Project, I thought it would be hard for me to put down my sketchbook.  Well, it's been the opposite... I can't seem to get started.  Maybe it's all the perfect blank pages and the fear of 'ruining my sketchbook', but I've hit a drawing wall.

On a positive note, my friend Traci is participating in the Sketchbook Project too, and she wrote me an email the other day saying, she was also freaked out.  So we decided to take turns every two days and select a word or object to draw, which we then post on our blog to show each other.  Since Traci has a blog too, this seemed like the perfect solution.  Now we have a time limit and we have to show our progress to someone.  Somehow this takes the pressure off me to draw something spectacular and it's nice to start with a friend.  We're going to give this a try, until drawings start flowing out. hee hee

For our first drawing, I selected an object - 'chair'.
(Apparently I can't seem to shake the designer-thing).
This is my version of the Cane Chair or also known as a Cafe Chair, which is surprisingly still quite famous and designed by Michael Thonet.  You see them around restaurants and bars in the States, but in Paris you see them in every cafe you go into or walk by.  If I remember my history of furniture, Thonet was known for his bentwood chairs and was the first to successfully achieve this process.

For those that are curious to see Traci's drawings too, check out Simple Huis.
(I haven't looked at Traci's drawing yet. :/  I've purposely waited until I finished my post, in case my chair sucked and it would discourage me to finish.  So, I'm super excited to be done and to check out Traci's process.)  If anyone wants to sketch with us, let me know?  Everyone is welcome!  

Traci - What are we drawing next?


Sketched with brown ink, color pencil, collage 

Thursday, July 22, 2010

My sketchbook arrived!


Well... it actually arrived almost two weeks ago.  

I'm sadly off to a slow and frustrating start with sketching for The Sketchbook Project.

I know.
 
There should be no pressure, but it's me and I can’t help it. I’m crazy.

Too many ideas and a need to have them be perfect before I start. I assume this is normal behavior for a very detail oriented person. :)

Topic that I selected is: "figuring you out"
 
              Sketch by. ckim
Currently I'm just trying to figure out, what I'm going to "figure out". Thinking about all the different ways I can translate my topic into sketches has paralyzed me. My mind has been bouncing with ideas of how "figuring you out" can be interpreted. I'm just not a hundred percent sure if I love the ideas enough, that it will keep me sketching until January. So I decided to just start sketching anything to loosen up my mind and hand. Maybe I'll never figure it out, but I've been having fun just getting something on paper.

The pear is my favorite subject to draw and paint. I have a little obsession with them. So what better way to christen my book with something I love to draw.






Saturday, July 17, 2010

Swedish Design - Lo Bjurulf


It just occurred to me, that I haven't posted one thing about interior design on this blog. 

I'm shocked by this realization, because interior design has been a huge part of my life for so long.  I love design and I'm really good at it, but I definitely was burnt out before my move here.  So I guess I took a subconscious break without knowing it.  :)

Today I want to share some beautiful images from a talented stylist Lo Bjurulf.  I've always loved her interiors and I'm sure many of you may have seen her work, if you surf design blogs and magazines.
I think the first time I saw her work was in an Elle Interiors, and absolutely fell in love with her monochromatic all white rooms.  I'm such a sucker for monochromatic spaces with a dot of color.  (My husband sadly does not share the same love.  He loves color.)

I live in a bubble here in Korea, so I only found out this winter that Lo Bjurulf had partnered with IKEA to style for them.  If you haven't seen these images they are amazing.  It's like IKEA gets a makeover from Anthropologie.  Just gorgeous!!!

Now, I'm dying to go to IKEA, so see if this is implemented in their stores or if it's just for advertisement.  Sadly the closest IKEA to me is Fukuoka Japan, so I might have to wait until I'm back in the States or we might have to visit Fukuoka... ;)

Photo credits: Agent Bauer

Yes, this really is IKEA.

Friday, July 16, 2010

hedgehog pincushion

Why didn't I make this weeks ago?!?  

Instead, I've been annoyed for the last couple of weeks, due to the lack of a second pincushion that would have been helpful to have.  I made a bird pincushion last winter, but really didn't feel like making another bird.  I'd really like a squirrel pincushion, but finding a pattern for that has been difficult/non-existent, so I've been looking into designing my own pattern. 

Randomly I decided to search for a hedgehog (maybe because I miss Steve the Dog) and found this pattern from Urban Debris.  This pattern calls for felt and doing a blanket stitch, but I decided not to do that.  (Maybe in the future I'll remake another one in raspberry felt.)

FYI - This was sooo easy to make.  I cut the pieces out and sewed them all together in about thirty minutes. It took longer for me to decide on the fabric. 

Now that I look at this hedgehog... it could be a mouse, if you add a tail.  




Materials:
Most of the body - is the paisley is a cotton quilting fabric
Part of the face - dot's on the chocolate fabric is a home dec fabric
The belly - is a sea glass blue wool.  

Notes:
Hedgehog pattern

I ♥ poupettes


A dear friend of mine started Bonjour Poupette on Etsy a while back and has been a great inspiration and supporter to me and my craft.    I hope you all enjoy these delightful poupettes as I do.

"The word 'poupette' is a term of affection that could be translated as 'little doll', 'little puppet', or even 'poppet'." I got this description from my friends Etsy shop, for those that might have been curious about the meaning. 

I narrowed it down to four of my favorites from the collection to show you.  If you're interested in what other poupettes are out there, check out Bonjour Poupette.

            Vulture Figurine

            O My Deer Antlered One

            Crab Lady Figurine

             Bat Figurine


If you're curious...

My friend is also an amazing artist and writer and I can't wait to see everything she's been working on since I've been in Korea.  As soon as she gets her website going, I will share it with you all.  


d - It was really great talking to you this week!  I wish I could just stop by your studio and dabble with encaustics and have you there to instruct.  I've been obsessed with learning about this medium all week after I started researching it.  Thanks for sending those sites.  I'm going to pick up some oils next week to try...  -c