backonpointe:

Here it is! The build-your-own workout I was talking about, inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer! It’s a bit confusing at first, but read over the information photo first and hopefully it’ll clear things up. My Ask Box is always open if you have questions.

It’s no secret:  I love mercury glass.  I am working with a friend of mine who is getting married in May to make our own mercury glass vases out of old bottles and jars.  This tablescape illuminates how to recreate this vintage feel with a modern setting.

By: Nu Ryu

gorgeous!

artchipel:

Nu Ryu - Forest |  Under the water. Pastels on fabric, 28x44inches (2008)

[Tumblr Monday with artandopinion]

My prediction for the most popular wedding color this year: iced mint.  Not quite mint, not quite turquoise, but guaranteed to be splashed around event design.  It expands on the pale pinks, cream, and neutrals that have been trending, by adding a little dimension.

I don’t think I posted these!  For Rosanna’s Annual Tablesetting Contest, I created a classy s’mores inspired feast.  Using the many skeleton keys that lurk around my apartment, deconstructed s’mores (see the marshmallow hiding on the dipping dish?), and candlesticks, I set a table in my apartment complex’s courtyard.  The sun was gorgeous for lighting, but it got warm so I needed to shoot the pictures quickly.  I was quite pleased with the final product.

I created this wreath after finding a link on Pinterest to clever seasonal favorites.  

The materials: hearts punched out of an old novel, a styrofoam wreath form, hot glue, and a cheery red ribbon.

Quite easy to make actually, and took me under an hour from start to finish.  I hope that it’s neutral colors will also keep up until Valentine’s Day.

This wreath went to the lucky Thea.  

I woke up thinking very seriously (I feel obligated to mention how deeply I was thinking only because it surprised me this early in the morning) about my resolutions I want to achieve this year.  In part inspired by Susan Miller’s astrological forecast for December—who explained that the new moon on December 24th will help me make plans for a new fitness routine, and importantly, it will be a plan that sticks, and that this moon is in a position with Pluto, the soon, and Capricorn, will give me all the discipline I could ever need to set my mind to a goal and see it through completion—I woke up thinking about how I feel in a very different phase of my life and how much I have gone through this year.  This puts my resolutions at heart and allows me the reflection to think: “how did I get here?”

January:

Filled with firsts (appropriate for the first of the year): First Seahawks game in CLink Field, and my first trans-Pacific adventure to meet Dustin in Japan!  In this first month, I fell in love with sumo wrestling, and made new friends with Dustin’s coworkers.  I rang the lovers’ bell in Enoshima with D and we’re still going strong. Little did I know how much my love for Asian cuisine and openminded-ness would get me through and embrace this wonderful, welcoming culture.  

February:

Weather rained us out for V-Day in Yokohama, so we went on a different day—rode a rollercoaster and explored around the second-largest city in Japan.  We spent President’s Day on Hokkaido (Japan’s northern island) visiting the Sapporo Brewery (definitely worth it) and snowboarding internationally at Niseko.  This was a goal of my time in Japan: I wanted to snowboard.  Niseko is second only to Mt. Baker in snowfall annually.  I achieved my first mini-resolution.

March:

Came and went so fast.  My mom and sister visited for the first week, and in that week was a whirlwind of destinations!  We went to Kyoto on the Shinkansen (bullet train) and saw so many old temples, old shrines, palaces, that they started (as much as I hate to admit) blur together.  Some highlights: Nara (the wild deer, the lantern lit walkway to the bright orange gate).  Following Kyoto, I think we all would agree that Hiroshima made a lasting, humbling difference on my family.  We cried; we sat in silence; we atoned for horror our country did.  Nuclear bombs are a very scary, irreversible form of warfare that I can only pray will not happen again.  The trauma and destruction that I saw documented will never be forgotten, and has forever made me a pacifist.  Of all the terror we saw, we saw beauty: the Floating Torii at Miyajima.  In this pocket, despite what happened at Hiroshima, the religious beauty built from the beach, all the way tucked into the mountain side, remained protected.  Everything about this place held some magic: the temple built at the top of a viney, tree covered mountain, the torii welcoming you into their floating palace, the deer resting peacefully.  It was a whirlwind, but also the calm before the storm.

That following week, my dear friend, Allie came to visit.  Within three days, everything, completely changed.  The earthquake in Sendai struck as Allie and I were exploring a nearby town, Kamakura.  (You can read my account here)  While we were still hundred+ miles away from the epicenter, what we experienced was at least a 6.0 and left us stranded from our town of Yokosuka.  I am still in disbelief that I was there when this happened…The tsunami was nothing (1.6m) where we were compared to Sendai, and I still think about the thousands of people affected by the earthquake and on-going nuclear crisis.  (Maybe this is a sign that nuclear energy is not meant to be used…)

Following Allie’s exit (great thing she left when she did with the rolling blackouts and with the atypical, unreliable mass-transit), I left shortly thereafter.  With D needing to prep and leave with the carrier to an unknown destination for an indeterminate amount of time, I had no need to stay.  

April:

The end of March and April are haggard for me.  I couldn’t sleep more than for four hours on end, and felt like a walking zombie for a month.  I didn’t know where Dustin was, and we couldn’t exchange emails regularly.  It was difficult on my psyche to process everything.  I am grateful that Dustin got to come home for a week toward the end of the month and see the tulips at the festival in Mount Vernon. 

May: 

Finally I snapped out of it!  I started working as a front desk girl at Swink—thank goodness for deflection—and got to take an amazing decade celebrating anniversary with my best friend…to the best…happiest…nerdiest…place ever: HOGWARTS!

This was easily one of the best vacations ever: rollercoasters, magic, beach, sun, and the best company.

June:

Was full of working, and Sounders games.  A much-needed calm month.

July:

From left: “The Gang: Wilcard, Looks, Muscle, Brains” by Me (Wildcard)

More Sounders games (sensing a trend really), kicked off gang birthday season (four birthdays within two months) with the Looks’ surprise at Cafe Flora, watched the culmination of Harry Potter on the big screen, and a trip to visit Beans in San Diego!

August:

Two full weekends of camping at Pearrygin Lake!  This is probably a happy place for me: floating on the lake, drinking, camping, and good company. Jill, my friend of so many good years, asked me to be her Maid of Honor.  Another highlight: best birthday theme ever: wolf pack: a celebration of Jessica.

To sum up:

September:

Transitioned from Swink back to United Way for another year as a Loaned Executive.  I love working at UWKC, and was excited to dig my heels into some new industries.  I made some amazing new friends from all over the place.  

October:
What. A. Month.  First Vegas trip EVER for me, and man did it live up to all the hype.  Gang successfully goes to Vegas and brings back a sliver of dignity.  

I also got to visit Napa for Halloween with Kat and Gail and D.  Great costumes and excitement exploring the castle grounds at Castello di Amarosa.

November:

Another “recovery” month.  I spent a great deal of time traveling myself, so I hosted other visitors: Gail and Beans visited mid-month and I got to dust off my “first-timer to Seattle” tour.  A lot of working, and an adventure weekend with impromptu concerts, good food, and good explorations.  Of course, my favorite holiday: Thanksgiving.

and now, here we have it…

December:

What a bittersweet month.  What a fuc*ing year!  I can’t believe 2011 is already over filled with such adventure. It only seemed appropriate to dress like Snooki Santa and hang out with hundreds of other crazy Seattle-ites and chant “HO HO HO” last weekend.  Best new holiday tradition award goes to Muscle and Husband for getting everyone on board. My job at UWKC ended, Xmas is coming, and I am looking at 2012.

What started this whole, long post was to talk about resolutions.  It couldn’t be done without looking at how far I have come along this year. I feel that I process everything a little differently, and I definitely feel another year older and wiser in all the best ways.  

For next year, here it goes:

Two main goals:

*Lose 30pounds—continue on my fitness train that I got on in 2010, and really commit to being healthy.  I will not fall into the trap of my genetic pool and get Type 2 diabetes or a heart attack as an adult.

*Travel more—I have a laundry list of places that I want to see, and I will!

Little goals:

*Go on a hike monthly (or biweekly)—There are some beautiful, majestic places in Washington and I don’t want to miss them.  

*addendum to previous goal: Go to Shangri-La, or at the very least a good, long weekend backpacking trip

*Spend quality time with my friends and family—since many are getting married next year!

*addendum: spend quality time with Dustin.

*Pay off residual debt (that means my credit card).

*Try and have one quiet night “just for me” a week.

*Cook more food

*Read more books

*Continue to craft

Lifelong Resolution:

*Be at peace with what life is throwing me.  (This is a life-long resolution, but I have worked on it this year and have gained leaps and bounds.  I don’t need to stress.)

part sarcasm, part genuine :)