Multicolored Fleece Blocks (Project 14)

Noah's 1st birthday + stacks of leftover fleece + plushie toy class project = fleece lined foam blocks

Actually, the plushie toy project was to make a stuffed toy out of leftover baby clothing, appliqué, and polyfill, but I thought it looked too girly. I wanted to give Noah something soft and colorful that wasn't a stuffed animal. I also thought it would be fun to use the fleece left over from his baby shower present. That is how I came up with the idea of making him a set of blocks.

I needed to buy two more colors, so I ended with more leftover fleece than I started with!

Happy Birthday Noah!

Jersey Wrap Skirt (Project 13)

I don't really wear skirts. I own one skirt (I guess now I own two) that's been sitting in my closet for months with the tags still on. I figured it would still be good practice to go through with this project.

I learned - don't buy double layered jersey when you don't know how to work with single layered jersey. In my defense, I didn't know there were two layers when I bought it. In the end, I finished the project with a decent looking wrap dress..... until I went to iron/steam it...... the whole thing wrinkled!!! Now you know why I didn't take any closeup pictures of the skirt.

Maybe I'll break this baby out for the beach some day...

Leather & Canvas Purse (Project 20)

Yup, I made a purse using leather. I was nervous because I caved and bought myself a pricey piece of gray deerskin (it was so soft and buttery). Throughout the entire project, I kept thinking to myself: Grace, don't mess up!

I followed the class instructions/measurements to a T and ended up with a very long bag. It was so long that the bag stopped close to my knees when I wore it, so I had to shorten the canvas part to a more reasonable, less comical length.

A Summer In NYC

It's no big secret that I love NYC. It was "love at first sight" when I went to visit my close childhood friend, Suanne, our freshman year of college. Since then, I've fantasized about living there for a few years. It pretty much offers everything I love - friends, all genres of music, broadway musicals, all things design, a large park to run in, pedestrian friendly environment, all types of food (I'm not a foodie, but I am the occasional glutton), easy access to Europe, real seasons, etc.

The past few years, I attempted to move out there twice:

• Fall 2008. Kathy and I had our plane tickets booked, ready to go look for an apartment in Manhattan. We were planning to quit our jobs, move out east, and see what the city had in store for us. A week or two before we were supposed to fly out, my mom got a phone call from Taiwan. My grandmother was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. My mom decided to go to Taiwan for 4 months to take care of my grandparents, so I decided to stay and help take care of her house. Kathy decided to stay as well.
• Summer 2009. I applied to business school. At that time, I was trying to pursue a career in my other big passion - music. Both the NYU and Columbia programs have media/entertainment concentrations, which put them at the top of my list. I was fortunate to get an interview with NYU but ended up waitlisted. A month before the start of school, I heard back from the admissions office. =(

Now that it's 2011, I've been asked by a lot of people - am I finally going to make the big move to NY?

Third time's a charm right? Maybe. Right now, I'm feeling indifferent about living in NYC. While I know I'd love living in The Big Apple, I know I'd also love living somewhere else (maybe SF?). I do want to give NY an honest shot, but I also know a number of things could keep me from taking the plunge. Whether it's an AWESOME job, more family issues, etc.... I can be easily convinced to stay in the Bay Area.

Okay, I've rambled on for a while. Now to the real point of this entry!

I thought I'd try to kill two birds one stone: 1) My top priority of 2011 is to make a career change into design, and 2) Give NYC a fair chance. I applied to Parsons' Summer Intensive Study Program in New York City. The program is from June 27 to July 22 with class every weekday from 9am to 4pm. Acceptance into this program is based on class space availability, so thankfully I didn't have to go through any formal application process. I am interested in taking the course in Design Management.

Students who wish to pursue careers in creative industries work with faculty to develop concepts that combine design innovation and business know-how. Group projects requiring research, prototyping, experimentation, self-reflection, collaboration, decision making, and best practices enable students to develop problem-solving skills and strategies that relate to all creative enterprises. Innovative New York entrepreneurs and design experts detail the interrelation of design and management. The course does not focus on fashion marketing or merchandising; instead, students explore design thinking and business strategies that apply to a broad range of design-based organizations.

Design Management Course Description, Parsons Summer Programs 2011

I plan to use this 4+ weeks as a "trial run" of living in NYC. Yes, it is the middle of summer, and yes, I can't stand hot, humid weather. We will see what happens. I may come back feeling like that was enough to satisfy my "living in New York" urges. On the flip side, I may come back here in a euphoric state and want to fly straight back to the city. Whatever happens, at least I'll know I tried.

Yesterday, I received a letter in the mail.

So....New York, prepare yourself. I'm coming your way. This is going to be a fun summer!

Shelf Liners (Project 21)

I have no use for a table runner in the apartment. A table runner is basically a long table cloth that's not wide enough to cover the entire table. I feel like they serve no practical purpose but are definitely useful for decoration.

I changed the measurements (quite drastically) for this project and made myself shelf liners instead. The end result looks suspiciously similar to the cloth napkins I made a while ago, but I promise you, they are too stiff to be used as napkins.

The project wasn't especially difficult, but I did learn about secure seaming (the instructor also referred to it as "beside-stitching"). I also got more than enough practice sewing straight lines.

Voilà! The shelf liners fit perfectly and help add some personality to my otherwise plain unfinished shelf.