The Problem With Korean Instructions...

What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call somone who speaks one language? An American.

Well, that about sums it up.

My parents spent several years living in South Korea and I always looked forward to the fun packages my mom would send me laden with Korean goodies. However some of these goodies turned out to be a bit problematic.

These felt craft kits come complete with everything needed to make a box of chocolates, a birthday cake, and little rabbits, unfortunately the direction are all in Korean. Even though I was in Korea for 3 months, the only Korean words I can muster up are "how much", "hello", "goodbye" and "mom". I feel like these words wont get me very far with these kits. I am endeavoring to make the birthday cake and just interpret the instructions the best I can.

I noticed on the directions that there was a website listed, but it was in Korean. I used Google translator to convert the page, but it only translated about 1/3 of the website. Blast.

Upon further inspection of the pattern, I noticed that there are numbers printed on the pattern, it shouildn't be that hard, right?

To everything turn, turn, turn...

Okay, okay so this is not a picture of the Byrds like the title suggests, but that is not the point. It is time for a change on this blog, it is time to write a bit more often and take more pictures of my crafty endeavors. I think this newfound zeal will help me be more creative and spend more time on my neglected crafts. So be prepared for a real post tomorrow! Yippee.

P.S. In case you're wondering about the picture, it is the Mexican version of the Partridge Family. My dad is the one on the far right, they would all later grow up and form the hugely popular band, well popular in Simi Valley, Misty Mountain. The little one in the middle would forever only play the tambourine.

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith ;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Packages, Packages!

I certainly have been receiving a lot of packages lately, a very rare but delightful thing.

Progress

Two years ago while staying with my grandparents, my grandma gave me several unfinished sets of pillowcases that my great grandma never embroidered. When I was a teenageer my grandma taught me how to embroider and I've been doing it ever since. I have made quite a bit of progress in the last several months than I ever did in the past two years that I had them.



Here is the uncompleted one.



And the finished one.

Happy (Belated) Birthday to Me

The other day I was pleasantly surprised to find a belated birthday package waiting for me in the kitchen. This is what was inside.


My crafty second mom made me these two little owl pouches, oh she knows how I like owls. I plan on using the bigger one to keep my latest embroidery project floss and other embroidery tools inside.



Too cute, hmm? Here is her etsy

Jantzen Heritage Collection

Today while I was getting a much needed pedicure, I read an article in May's In Style magazine about Jantzen Swimwear's 100th Anniversary Celebration and their new Heritage Collection. The collection has bathing suits inspired by the 1920's-1970's. The suit the magazine highlighted was so cute, I had to find it online. Well not only did I find the ruffled little number from the magazine I also found a plethora of other goodies. My favorite bathing suit is the following one, complete with the cape and swim cap. I found that most of the collection can be purchased at Dillard's, but I did not want to shell out over $250 for the ensemble. Not to mention I would feel a little foolish parading around the beach wearing a "swimming cape". I did manage to find a red Jantzen "Vamp" bathing suit on Overstock for a fraction of the price. I decided with summer just around the corner, and the fact that it has a perfect retro and classy vibe that I should just go ahead and buy it. After all, it is incredibly difficult to find a cute one piece swimsuit, usually they are some horrible muu muu looking thing with an ugly print and a little floofy skirt and no one wants to be caught wearing something that awful. I'm quite happy with my find.