unpacking is worse than moving....

We've moved in!!   And we're still unpacking...we've run into some problems that have called for some "creative" solutions.  I'll post pictures of the before and after once there is an after that I won't be embarrassed about.

In the meantime, enjoy this YouTube tutorial about how to wear a scarf in different ways with a girl who looks like she could be Michelle Kwan's sister!!

we interrupt the regularly scheduled programming

...to bring you the following message: Mark and I are moving!  We'll be packing and boxing all week so forgive the pause in blogging.  We're really excited to move into a modest apt that we'll be able to make our own.  I'm packing and taping just like I did a couple months ago so it's just like old times for me.  See you guys in a bit!

online love : rifle paper co.

I love it all.  'Tis all I can say.  But I shall say much more.  I love the simplicity, the hand-drawn quality, the colors, the texture, the touch, the feel, the fabric of our lives...hang on a second I'm having an Aaron Neville moment.  Anyway,  I love it all.  Just spend an hour on their site looking at all the goodies, www.riflepaperco.com.

korean comfort food

Mark once asked me if I could choose to eat one Korean side dish (bban chan) for the rest of my life which one would I choose?  I think any self-respecting Korean would either say or have to consider saying kimchi.  My father says that in a Korean household it's never a real meal without kimchi.  For us it's almost the visible symbol of being Korean.  It gets added to all sorts of dishes: soup, rice, noodles, you name it we add it.  Even with the famous Kogi trucks kimchi was one of the first ingredients used to create Korean-Mexican fusion food.

One of my favorite traditional kimchi applications is in bbin-deh dduk or "Korean pancake."  The dry mix for the batter is sold in Asian food markets and you basically add whatever additional ingredients you want.  Seafood, scallions, onions, peppers, kimchi, whatever you want really.  Mmm, I love how comfort food just hits the spot, you know?  It's like getting together with an old friend.

unsolicited wedding advice wednesdays : prop styling

inspiration room via www.homegoods.com

When I was planning my wedding I had a very VERY small budget.  Mostly because Mark and I were paying for the damn thing ourselves and because we really didn't want to spend a lot on one freaking day and we most certainly didn't want to be in debt because of it.  But being more sensible about the budget didn't mean that it couldn't look "pretty."  A memorable and beautiful wedding is personal and subjective.  Weddings (nowadays especially) no longer have to fit a mold.  A proper wedding doesn't have to include waiters, fine china, and lofty centerpieces unless you want it too.  It can be homey, simple, casual and anything in between!

Your wedding, whether you're a proletariat or bourgeois, will have a specific look and unless you're able to hire someone to be your prop stylist you'll probably have to do a lot of leg work yourself.  My first suggestion to find cool accent pieces (aka random crap on the tables to make things look cool) is Home Goods.  Home Goods is part of the TJ Maxx family but unlike TJ Maxx these stores do not sell clothes.  You'll find cool stuff from furniture, kitchenware, wall art, and everything in between.  New pieces are frequently being brought into the stores so go back often.

Some pieces that I got from Home Goods were some vintage style wire baskets and a few white wooden picture frames. The prices, I thought, were pretty reasonable and I found myself wishing I could afford more than the few pieces I got there.

pictured by Love and Lemonade

Of course you should also check second-hand stores like Goodwill for awesome finds but in my experience it's usually a shot in the dark if you're looking for something specific.  I went to Goodwill for inexpensive plates and glassware for displaying desserts and reception table centerpieces.  Ikea is also a best friend of mine for prop styling.  Be sure to check the "As Is" department for even more discounted pieces that might be slightly damaged or in complete.  I bought Ikea cabinet doors for $7 a pop to display our family and personal pictures at the wedding.

Another good idea is to talk to people who have recently gotten married.  They might have things you can borrow.  One couple who got married at our church before Mark and I did were nice enough to let us borrow their beautiful glass apothecary jars from their reception.  In fact they even lent them to another couple that got married after us too!  Last but not least, raid your parent's house.  They've been living longer than you so that means they have accumulated a lot more junk.  :)  Take advantage of random objects that your parents and relatives might have around their house.  Happy hunting!