BED REST

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SALLY J SHIM VIA INSTAGRAM

So...I had a little incident over the weekend involving some wet steps and a long fall down those wet steps. And I have the bruises, sore body, and injured knee to prove it. Several doctor's appointments, X-rays and my first MRI confirmed I have a small tear on my meniscus. Thankfully I do not need surgery, but just need to rest up and let my knee (and body) heal. For those of you who know me, lying in bed or sitting still is not really my thing. And I admit I am the worst patient (Appah will wholeheartedly agree to this fact). But, I am really trying to take it easy, which means the long list of errands I was going to run this week have been put on the back burner. Instead I am staying home and resting, squeezing in some work on the computer here and there, and being thankful for all the well wishes and prayers sent my way. 

[EAT] AVOCADO LOVE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SALLY J SHIM VIA INSTAGRAM

After having a food fest while visiting Portland last month (hello, burgers, fries, and pies!), I've been trying to eat a bit more healthy. I love a good salad for lunch, although I admit I always need an afternoon snack because the salad doesn't quite fill me up. In general I find that produce is more expensive here in Korea than in the States, especially when it comes to fruit and speciality produce like avocados. If you've been following me on Instagram*, then you know I've been eating an avocado every day this week. I love slicing or mashing them up with some coarse salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice, top it on a crunch baguette or toasted bread and I am in heaven. I've run out of avocados, so picking up a new bag is on top of my list for this weekend. 

* My Instagram account is private, but if you have a legit Instagram account, I will accept you as a friend. Please note if you have tried to friend me on Instagram before and were denied, please try again. A few times I have tried to accept people and I accidentally pressed the decline button (they are too close to each other on my iPhone)! 

[WRAP] PACKAGE 021

PHOTOGRAPH BY SALLY J SHIM

I love paper punches. And although I tend to use my circle paper punches the most, I love this Martha Stewart doily lace deep edge punch. I've used it in the past to make paper chains, but this time I decided to use it as a band around a package. 

MATERIALS

1. Martha Stewart doily lace deep edge punch

2. White paper

3. Tape adhesive (this Scotch ATG adhesive applicator is my all-time favorite)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Punch out several doily laces, depending on size of package.

2. Adhere tape on ends of doily lace and wrap around package. If you need to connect several doily lace punches, keep adhering tapes on the ends of the paper punches.

[MAKE] WOOD VENEER MOUSEPAD

PHOTOGRAPH BY SALLY J SHIM

I was tidying up my studio the other day and decided I needed a new mousepad. I was going to make a fabric covered mousepad, but remembered I had a stash of wood veneer that might do the trick. I bought my wood veneer at a local woodworking shop when I was in living in Portland, but you can also find it online. There are two kinds of thin wood veneer, paper backed or plain. I used thin plain wood veneer for my mousepad. You can also add a square of shelf liner on the backside of your mousepad to give it some grip. You want to know how I keep my mousepad from slipping around? Two pieces of masking tape to secure it to my desk (strange, but true).

MATERIALS

1. Wood veneer 

2. X-Acto knife or paper cutter

3. Ruler (if using X-Acto knife)

4. Optional: Shelf liner and double-stick tape

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut wood veneer to desired size (my mousepad is 16cm x 16 cm) using X-Acto knife and ruler or paper cutter (my preferred method).

2. Optional: Cut a square of shelf liner and adhere to back of wood veneer mousepad with double-stick tape.

[FAMILY] BFF

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SALLY SHIM VIA INSTAGRAM

I love being able to quickly capture a moment in time with my iPhone. Recently I started documenting one of my favorite things to do in the morning, which is to see what position the boys are sleeping in. No matter how they fall asleep, they are like human magnets and always end up being cozied up next to each other. 

NEW YEAR, NEW NOTEBOOKS

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about welcoming in a new year is all the possibilities it holds. Instead of thinking about what I haven't accomplished, it is time to focus and get motivated to make the new year a better one. Even though I love the conveniences of technology and all the helpful apps out there, I am still a firm believer in a good ol' trusty notebook and pencil/pen. And nothing beats picking out the perfect notebook to jot down my goals/ideas/ or sketch out designs/projects. I found the "Hmm" notebook (by Her bike, a Korean company) at a local stationery shop and love the silver foil on kraft cover. 

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SALLY J SHIM

I've had this O-Check Design Graphics sketchbook in my stash for a few years and I am happy to finally be putting it to good use to sketch out some designs for a new project. I love that the front cover functions as a folder to slip in random paper and the elastic band is handy for keeping the sketchbook closed. Hope this year involves new ideas and fun projects for you (or at least a few cute notebooks)!