Monthly Obsession: Washi Tape

Budding obsession here -- Washi tape. If you haven't discovered the wondrous wonderful that is washi tape, you are seriously missing out. Once you have seen this stuff, you are going to want to fill your cupboards & drawers with it and start using lame excuses on why every surface needs to be affixed with cute, colorful masking tape. 

Washi tape is a tissuey, translucent, delicate but sturdy masking tape traditionally made from Japanese washi paper {hence, the name, duh}. Washi, literally means "Japanese paper", is made from various sources like paper mulberry, gampi tree, bamboo, hemp and rice. Did you know, {because 5 minutes ago, I didn't} the process of making washi uses less chemicals and is generally a tougher material than traditional wood pulp paper! Learning new things everyday here, people.

And let me tell you - there is a contingent of folks out there, screaming from the rooftops, who are mad for washi. Mad, I tell you! {and, wouldn't you know, there's even an app for that}
{aaand, apparently, if you have an awesome xyron machine, you can make it yourself with tissue paper}

title photo PrettyTape;  1) Paper Source; 2) Traditional Dots; 3) set of three; 4) dots & lace; Tape tower photo from sfgirlbybay

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Project Adventure/Mom's Garden: Baby Shower

A couple months ago, my friend Jin and I embarked upon the time-honored tradition of planning and hosting a Baby Shower. It was very lucky that Jin & I have a similar taste in decorating ideas, otherwise, things could have been a total disaster. We planned and plotted our strategy via the perfect vehicle for creative inspiration, Pinterest. We scrambled and sorted until things were just right, picked and positioned the best from Mom's Garden, crafted and created all we had imagined. Saturday was finally the day. 

I have to say, I think it turned out perfectly.

The super cool and effervescent Kara, of Mi & Mo Photography was there and captured the most gorgeous shots anywhere. Man, she made it look so professional, it's hard to believe that it was ours! Those kind of images just make you all dreamy-eyed with endless party decor possibilities. She even did a blog post on it, if you'd like to take a look at the awesome pictures.

One things for sure: hosting parties of any kind are a heck of a lot of work, but man, are they fun.

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Mom's Garden: French Radish

Springtime is in full effect in Southern California and Mom and I have totally re-done the veggie garden.

Too many years Mom has been sitting by watching all of her hard work get eaten by the bunnies, peacocks {yes, peafowl} and other nasty, annoying critters. So, we've constructed a kick-ass no holds barred enclosed area {it even has doors!} to keep most of them out. It doesn't stop the slugs, and of course the rats & squirrels can climb it, but we'll take any victory we can get {fingers crossed}.

Some of our first harvests were luscious bibb lettuce and these awesome little guys, the French Radish. Well, really it's called a French Breakfast Radish, but people seem to get weirded out by associating radishes with breakfast. Anyway, these little guys are not only super duper cute and a pretty red-pink-white ombre color, they have a lighter, less "snappy" flavor than your run-of-the-mill radish. 

A little dash of salt and... crunch! Yummy! 

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Project Adventure: NYC

Ask anyone you know, who has lived in New York for years and then moved away, it leaves a hole in your heart. Provided, of course, you left The City on good terms. The hole is different for everyone, but nonetheless, it is still there. A void, a something missing. I knew that in moving to the West Coast (a whopping year & 7 months ago), NYC would always haunt me. I was prepared to go back east to get my Big-Apple-fix as often as I had to, in order to feel right. And yet, somehow I still feel somewhat disconnected. There is something to be said about being in the city and feeling it's heartbeat, it's everyday ebb and flow. One day: monotony, the next: scandal! One day: pure frustration, the next: unfettered awe. It did that for me in my years of becoming a New Yorker, the love and the hate. And yet, California never left me. Bodega owners would pause, their hand outstretched with my change, and say to me with appreciation, "You're not from here, originally, are you." It wasn't a question. They just knew.

So, what am I getting at? I supposed I'm trying to explain the unique otherness of New York. People either love it, or they hate it. For some, it's hard to find that middle ground. It took me a while to fully appreciate it, and at times, I took it for granted. Not anymore, I tell you. Not ever again.

Like a silly cliché or a junkie in need of a fix, I'll keep coming back for more because I know She will always have something for me, whatever that something is.

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