Looking for February

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

2014 just started, right? My goodness, it’s the end of February next week, and I’m not sure where all the time has gone. Pretty sure it has to do with 1) shortest month of the year, 2) dreariest winter ever, 3) school events piled up, and 4) my husband’s, daughter’s and father’s birthdays all in the same month.

My mind wanders every which way with ideas, or things I need (or want) to do for all the events. And all I can really do is take deep breaths, and conquer the to-do list one thing at a time. For instance, we are one week past Valentine’s Day, and I just sent out a little package today to a friend. It’s not like I procrastinated in buying the Valentine’s Day goodies – I just failed on the packaging and mailing part. *sigh* And… life goes on. *grin*

I have some fun art and crafting events coming up soon which I can’t wait to share. Admittedly, I’m also way behind in some reviews, journaling adventures and a couple of project tutorials. But, it’s all good… my life is so good, and I’m grateful for all the awesome creative energy that seems to be flowing my way this year. Just have to organize my writing time.

Here’s a look back at this month’s Mugshot Mondays.

Chinese New Year: Crafting mini {Red} envelopes with free printable

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

Crafting envelopes from old magazines and calendars

My obsession with making envelopes from old magazine and calendar pages

I’ve always had a love affair with paper, especially making envelopes from old magazine and calendar pages… even wallpaper scraps. And, I actually use them to mail letters! In college, I would take junk mail envelopes, open them up and use them for templates. Every envelope was different; I didn’t care if the picture was tilted, or if there was text. The envelopes were that much cooler.

Recycling / upcycling my Crate and Barrel and Anthropolgie catalogs into mini-envelopes

Since it’s Chinese New Year’s Eve, I pulled out red envelopes for the kids. I was inspired to make a few mini envelopes… from some favorite catalog mailers. (Crate&Barrel and Anthropologie, I love your layouts.)

Here, I’ve carefully opened up my red envelope to figure out the shape and to make a template on a blank piece of paper.

I also put together a Mini / Red Envelope template that can be downloaded here. Just print on cardstock, cut, and follow directions.

Sometimes you get cute envelopes from unexpected pages. It’s all template positioning – trial and error.

Before I cut out my envelope shapes, I used a silver marker to go around my template. It made a nice edge on the finished envelope. I also tried a colored permanent marker.

Like I said, I thought I would make a few envelopes, but I got carried away. (Yes, a die-cut machine would probably be more efficient but where’s the fun in that?) Guess I better figure out who to send these to.

Finished size is approximately 4 inches x 2-3/4 inches.

I wonder what else I could cut up to make envelopes? *grin*

Chinese New Year: Year of the Horse and Noodle Recipe

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

** My original article posted on patch.com a few years ago, but the links are presently broken. Imagine the horror when I thought all my articles were deleted! But, I got in touch with the engineers, and hopefully they will have it up and running in the near future. Until then, I’ve updated a few things.**

This Friday, January 31, marks Chinese New Year, 4712 by the Chinese calendar, which is also known as the Year of the Horse. It’s a special year in our house with my daughter, brother, father, father and mother-in-law all celebrating their year. To set the record straight, I am not Chinese by heritage, but my husband is, and almost everything I know about Chinese New Year, I’ve learned from him and his family.

Chinese New Year: Year of the Horse and Misua Recipe

On Chinese New Year’s Eve (and regular New Year’s Eve) we light a red candle

Chinese New Year is based on the date of the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice, so the date changes from year to year, but is usually sometime between late January to early February. Traditionally it is a fifteen-day celebration, so it is acceptable to celebrate anytime within two weeks of the beginning of the New Year.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, we light a red tapered candle surrounded with coins… the candle symbolizes your parents’ lives, and coins for prosperity. Let the candle burn through the night for long life. (If you think I’m going to burn my house down, you won’t be the first one.)

My family typically has a wonderful brunch at my in-laws home to celebrate Chinese New Year, and sometimes, we wait until the weekend for more convenient scheduling. It’s not a particularly lavish brunch, but steeped in tradition and symbolism. And, we all wear red.

My husband and his mom making misua for New Year’s (2014)

Mom-in-law, hubby and me preparing misua (noodles) for New Year’s

The color red is used whether in clothing, tableware or dishes, and the color was believed to ward off evil spirits. The word for red in Mandarin also means “prosperous”, so lucky word, lucky color – lucky red! Round or circular shapes are found throughout the meal since circular shapes are considered to be good luck.

Red envelopes for Chinese New Year

Our kids will receive red envelopes (shown above, and first picture) from their grandparents and us, mom and dad. Again, it’s red symbolizing good luck, and to ward off evil spirits. The envelopes, ang pao (Fukinese) or hong bao (Mandarin), contain money – good fortune. Read on for the misua (noodle recipe)

Mugshot Monday: Another cold day

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

Mug from Little Goat Diner in Chicago

Our week is all messed up again – too cold to go to school. At this rate, summer vacation won’t start until late June. Yes, we’re getting tired of winter, and we’re only one month into it. Totes magoats.

Mugshot Monday: One Little Word

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

This week’s prompt was to shoot your mug with a description of how you think other people see you. My interpretation of my picture was that other people probably see me as a creative crazy (in the nicest way possible) girl, flowery, and cheerful. Can’t say colorful because right now, my winter wardrobe is really, really gray.

So, this pic. One drawing is for a pal, and the other drawing is my “One Little Word“. This year I’ve chosen “Dare”. When I was younger (like high school) I used to give myself these pep talks in my head saying “Go. Do it. Go for the gold…” Weird Olympic reference. Somewhere along the way, I stopped giving myself pep talks. Then I started cycling again a few years ago, rode a 50-mile bike ride, and I felt like I could do anything!

My One Little Word: 1/20/14

Every year, I dream big, but maybe this year I’ll take it further and expand my journey with some guidance. I’m going to be bold, have courage, venture… I’m so excited to journal along with a ton of people across the world; everyone choosing their word and living it, exploring their lives with intention.

From last week… quiet night with dog-nephew, Graham. (This is also my year to finish some unfinished projects.)

Quiet Night: 1/13/14

Mugshot Monday: New Year 2014

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Juliet Tiu

(A little New Year’s rambling…)

Wow. Wasn’t I just sitting here writing about what I hoped for in 2013?

I always have these lofty ideas and dreams, projects I want to do, projects I want to finish, recipes I want to try, and restaurants I’d like to visit. And, the kicker is – at the end of the year I look back and get kind of irritated at myself that I didn’t do all I set out to do. Okay, that’s the overachiever in me… I can’t be the only one who thinks this. But, after a breath, I realize and remind myself, hey, look at all the stuff we (this virtual community) did do and look at all the people we’ve connected with?! This has been a good year.

Truly, I have to stop comparing myself and this website/blog to some of the blogs I absolutely drool over. You know, there are just some a-mazing blogs that seemingly have business game plans and focus. These people probably have more help at home than I have, and probably have website designers, other contributors, etc.

I told my husband (what I say every year) that I just want be a better, more put-together “me”. And he said quite simply, “I think you’re already pretty put-together…” What a guy. Knows how to break it down. 🙂

So, this year, I’m looking forward to sharing and teaching at more local workshops which may mean less writing here. (I think that’s already made itself apparent. 2013 was busy, busy with school and church. That’s not going to change.) I think this year, regardless of the projects (because there will always be projects) it’ll be about focusing, daring to share.

Okay 2014, let’s go! Bring it. I’m ready. Are you?

** I appreciate all your notes, thoughts, ideas… Please hop over to the Facebook page to connect with more happenings!

So This is Julie

Make | Create | Cook