Have a good weekend + links.

I got these in the mail earlier this week and just yesterday I began to knit a scarf for a little boy who is turning two in a few months. I'm also learning a new pattern and hopefully I'll be able to knit up a hat with little ear flaps for a little one year old girl. Both are presents for friends' little ones.

This weekend I'm probably setting us up for a crazy busy weekend, but there are a few projects I hope to get out of the way -- I want to at least get plans written down to build a few things like our floating shelves and also a wood backdrop I hope to have for my photography adventures. I also want to put up a couple gallery walls, get started on crocheting a few ornaments and make mandoo. I have been craving this stuff to no end and instead of buying the frozen bag that can be a little expensive, I told Yangkyu I think we should make some. So it's looking like a busy weekend of making and cooking. 

What do you all have planned? 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Some links to get you started -- 

 // I just loved this story. It got me all crying too. A dog's loyalty is truly immeasurable. 

 // New eyewear crush. 

 // Dainty and beautiful. 

 // Wreath ideas for the holidays. 

 // Because we need to keep track of all these holidays!

 // Homemade gifts to bring out the crafty side of all of us. 

 // Be brave. 

 // Thanksgiving recipes across the United States {Virginia is corn pudding. What is your state?}

 // A 1950 Chevy inside Old Navy in San Francisco gets yarnbombed. 

 // Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" syncs perfectly with this 80s aerobics video. 

Letters to Piri // 04

Dear Piri, 

 // I went on and on and on about why I love you and this senior stage of your life to help raise awareness during this month, which is Adopt a Senior Pet month, but I never asked you.. what do you like most about being a senior? 

 // Some days I just don't want to do anything. No energy, no motivation. Yesterday was one of those days and I absentmindedly fell asleep on your spot on the couch and didn't bother ironing Yangkyu's shirts. Did you mean to help me? I woke up to find that you had scratched your way on top of those clean shirts. Maybe you were trying to iron them for me. I know you want Yangkyu to know what a good boy you are for doing that, but maybe we'll just keep this one between us. 

 // It feels like just yesterday when we went about our days eating what we wanted and being playful and energetic. Never in my wildest imagination did I think that you were sick with kidney disease. Sorry that we caught it so late. Sorry that you had such a rough time with all those medications. Sorry that your food tastes so bland now. Sorry that your entire schedule seems like it's turned upside down. Nothing works like clockwork now. It must've felt a little overwhelming. I hope you still feel a small bit of comfort knowing that we still love you to no end.. and that we can still share apples, too. Not as much as we used to, but we still can. 

 // I still feel guilty you know. Sometimes I can't be vocal. Sometimes I can't just say what I want to say because I feel like I'll hurt people's feelings. I wish I did though because I end up feeling bad because I feel like I didn't stick up for you. I wish I was a bit tougher, questioned more and set my foot down harder at the first feeling I had in my gut when I knew something wasn't quite right with the medications you were on. I know I said it before, but I'm so sorry Piri. I'm so sorry for putting you through that. 

 // Piri, it's right around the corner! The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner! But we can start watching those cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies now. Remember the ones we watched last year? What was it called? Oh I forget. But they were so bad. 

 // Yes. You're wearing your Christmas jammies again this year. 

 // Yes. I'm taking a picture and posting on Instagram. 

 // You know, sometimes when you sleep, you wiggle your nose quite excitedly. Are you dreaming of eating something good? Is it like you're sniffing it, ready to take a big bite and then you wake up? I had those kind of dreams too. So cruel. At least let us have one small bite before waking up, right? 

 // Sometimes I wish it was just you and me and Yangkyu. And a bunch of other dogs and farm animals. On a farm somewhere near the mountains of Vermont. We can go collect eggs together and huddle around the fire to keep warm. We can grow our own produce, get some milk from our cow and goat friends and make our own adventures with the animals and people we like. Wouldn't that be nice? Sometimes I just want to be away from everything I know now and start new. 

 // Okay, you can be in charge of collecting the eggs. As long as you don't bother the chickens. That wasn't really my point of the story but ok. You love chickens. I get it. 

 // I found an amigurumi cocker spaniel pattern. The little doll looks exactly like you. I'm still learning how to read patterns but I'm going to crochet it. You just wait and see. And I might put it on your head. I hope you don't mind. Thanks for always being such a good sport about it. 

 // Is it selfish of me to want everything? My biggest fear is not being able to start a family with you. Yangkyu always scolds me and tells me to take it day by day.. but you know, sometimes I feel so desperate like I don't have enough time. Or that we don't have enough time. But i know.. while I worry about all this, the only thing that is happening is losing time. 

 // Thanks for giving me a pass though during my times of desperation. That's why I like that you and Yangkyu are always in my corner. 

 // They said that if we fold 1000 cranes, we'll be granted one wish. I'm gonna fold 1000 cranes. And we're going to get that wish. 

 // What are you going to wish for, Piri? 

Love, 
The human girl who loves you to infinity and beyond. 



Read other Letters to Piri here. 

What is the one dish you must have on your Thanksgiving table?

Thanksgiving is next week and usually about a week and a half leading up to it, Yangkyu and I swap recipes, new and old, to make - everything from the turkey, side dishes, drinks, rolls and pies. But this year we decided to spend a low key Thanksgiving. We have a Dogvacay guest staying with us and going through the large amounts of leftovers between the two of us gets pretty tiring usually at the second and third day after. So this year we decided to cook only one of our favorite side dishes each and pick up the rest, portioned out for two people, at the grocery store.

For me, I can't do without creamy fluffy chives and garlic mashed potatoes and gravy. For Yangkyu {while he loves mashed potatoes, too} it's the stuffing with sausages apples. As for pies, I think we'll  pick up a slice each of pumpkin pie and coconut pie and also cheesecake too just for heck of it. 

What is the one dish you can't do without on Thanksgiving? 

PS -- How to have a sustainable Thanksgiving holiday

PPS -- These hamsters are having the most adorable sit down feast.

PPPS -- Don't forget about shelter animals this holiday season. 

Infographic via The Splendid Table. 

November wishing.

01 // 02 {cat lover version here} // 03 // 04 // 05 // 06 // 07

Some things I'm dreaming and wishing for the month of November -- it includes knitwears, jumbo knitting needles, some nice boots, relaxing candles and soap, a book to inspire the sewing side of me and a doggy tote to carry my knitting things, Piri's things and maybe some of Yangkyu's things, too. All these items would be perfect. 

What are some things your wish list this month? 

Picking paint color is tricky + other weekend things.

Why hello! 

I know we've all taken turns saying this, but boy is time flying or what? Please someone push the slow button because I don't think I am at all ready for Thanksgiving and, my goodness, trying to schedule everything that needs to get done before Christmas is looking like one giant colossal task. 

Every weekend I try to sit down and wrap my head around everything that needs to happen before the holidays roll around in full force, but then every weekend my mind is wrapped around other things that need to get done before the weekend is over! 

This weekend my head was wrapped around a little one year old's birthday celebration and me trying to get over my fear of low light photography. I was asked by a friend to just do some casual captures of her daughter's birthday and while I loved being asked {and despite the fact that she was so sweet to not give me any pressure whatsoever}, I just get super nervous because I don't do very well with low light, yellow light and tight spaces. You know that feeling where you really want to do a good job for someone and you're afraid that it may not turn out the way you had imagined? Anyway, I usually wallow for a few hours wishing I had done a better job but straightaway after the birthday celebration my head got wrapped around some painting projects for our home {I actually ended up wallowing over the pictures for a couple of hours on Sunday. Heh. I guess it's an inevitable process with me}. 

Since rearranging our living room, our chalkboard wall was looking a little out of place and so I wanted to move it. I had it all planned out -- paint our chalkboard wall back to its original color and just paint a new wall with chalkboard paint! So easy right? Only, well into the evening I realized that the previous owners had left paint for everything except for the walls and so I had to drag everyone back to Home Depot and quickly decide what to do. A colorful statement wall seemed to be the answer and while the better part of my judgement told me to just bring home some swatches and make a decision with a clear head the next day, I was so desperate to get the walls done on Saturday night before our meet and greet with a Dogvacay client on Sunday {I don't know, sometimes my mind works in complicated and weird ways}. And so, I tried my best to recollect the color of our sofa and somehow chose a weird blue color. As soon as the Home Depot lady began to make and mix our paint, I knew I hated it. Awful, right? The color is still not sitting well with me and while we do have plans to add some white framed wall gallery and also white floating shelves, I have a feeling that wall is going to get repainted in 6 months {Yangkyu is already bracing for the moment when I randomly tell him -- let's repaint the wall!}. 

This week, I'm doing a bit more reorganizing and stealing part of Yangkyu's office to make room for my crafting and making. He actually wanted me to set up this space next to his desk since the day we moved, but I had so little supplies and I liked crafting in front of the TV. But as I was rearranging the living room yesterday, I noticed how many things I have accumulated. That always feels good, no? Kind of reaffirms that interest, which started a while ago, actually stuck and wasn't a one time thing. I like that.

Anyway, aside from reorganizing, I am hoping to get organized for the holidays -- getting our Thanksgiving menu done, decorating, ordering Christmas cards and deciding what to make to send to friends and family this year. I like to send them out early so I don't have to worry about them as it gets closer to Christmas. Fingers crossed that I will come up with some sort of timeline! Woot woot! 

Have a great week everyone!