When I go through the closet purging mode, I always come to this blazer-jacket thing and debate on it. Sure, it gets worn once a year, if that, but it fit greats, the fabric feels wonderful, and it’s just so different (in a good way, at least to me). Ben found it in a Texas thrift store for me long ago (back when thrift stores weren’t so picked through), and I’ve only worn it a handful of times, but it’s just of those things I can’t give up. According to those promoting a minimalism wardrobe, it getting worn once a year probably means it needs to be moved on, but I really just can’t.

I think it’s just one of those pieces my girls might pick up one day when they fit it, and say, “Wow! Mom, this is so cool!” But then again, I could be wrong, and they say, “Mom, this is hideous. Why’d you keep it?!” Who knows?! I guess it will be an experiment of sorts and we will see what happens on that “one day.” I’m pretty good at letting go and purging my closet, but for now this jacket stays. Do any of you have any pieces like this that you think of getting rid of, but don’t?

Oh and these black shoes of mine are one of my faves! It might be my best deal ever as I scored it at the thrift store for just 2 buckaroos!

on me: jacket, vintage. shirt, everlane. patchwork jeans, old navy. shoes, thrifted. on true: dress, panache box. jacket, vintage members only. leggings, hello hi apparel. pin-dot sneakers, old navy. on brave: shirt, misha lulu. jacket, thrifted. pants (she wear these all. the. time!), misha lulu. shoes, gap kids. on soul: dress, misha lulu. boots, thrifted. on glow: jacket, vintage. dress and leggings, misha lulu. shoes, old navy.

Korean Pork Roast Sesame Leaf Wraps (Bossam)
about 6 servings

Ingredients
For the Bossam (pork roast):
About 2 lbs. pork sirloin tip roast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup brown sugar, set aside the 1/3 cup
1/2 cup plus 1/2 tbsp salt, set aside the 1/2 tbsp
1 beer

For the Ginger Scallion Sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside (best made the day before):
3 bunches of green onions, chopped
5″ piece of ginger, skinned and minced.
1/8 cup of vegetable (canola) oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar

For the Ssam Sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside (best made the day before):
2 tbsp chili paste
2 tbsp soybean paste
1/8 cup canola oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

For the Pickled Carrots, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside (best made the day before):
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 cups warm water

For serving:
Sesame leaves, about 6-10 per person (or red leaf lettuce or steamed cabbage leaves removed from core)
Rice (brown rice would be our choice)
Kimchi
Directions
For the overnight marinade:
Mix together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup salt in a small bowl. Place the sirloin roast in a large bowl, rub and coat it completely with the sugar mixture. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight.

To cook the roast:
Rinse the pork and place it in the crock pot with the liquid from a full bottle of beer. Cook the pork on low for 8 hours. Once it is done, heat the oven to 500 degrees and mix the remaining brown sugar and salt together. Completely coat the pork with the sugar mixture and put it in the oven for 10 minutes. This gives the pork a salty and sweet coating.

Serve the pork with rice (our choice is brown rice), some sesame leaves (or cabbage leaves), kimchi, and all the side dishes in this recipe. Just layer them all together on top of a sesame leaf, and enjoy it as it’s packed with so much good flavor. Typically, this is made with pork shoulder or pork butt, but we make it healthier by using pork sirloin. It lacks the fat (and crunchy skin) that the other parts have, but we enjoy it so much more knowing we’re doing without all that extra fat. It tastes really good to us this way that we aren’t interested in trying it with a fattier meat. My BFF said this would be the more traditional way of making bossam, so if you’re wanting to go really authentic, I would try it that way.

It looks so similar to the Mackerel Stew as it has some of the same ingredients, but it has a completely different flavor altogether. I’m totally addicted to cooking Korean dishes. The flavors in the sauces are so good that if you’re vegetarian, just leave out the pork, maybe use some tofu, and it would still taste just as delicious.

Simple Leather Clutch

Supplies:
9″ zipper
2 – 1 1/2″ x 2″ pieces of leather (about a 1.2mm thickness)
2 – 9″ x 11 1/2″ pieces of leather
Sewing machine
Leather machine sewing needle
Coordinating thread
Scissors
Pins

Inseam: 1/4″

Directions:
1. Place one of the 1 1/2″ x 2″ leather pieces, with the right side facing down, 1/4″ down from the top edge of the zipper, and pin in place. Stitch 1/4″ away from the leather edge (the long side), and snip off any excess thread. Fold the leather on the seam (away from the zipper), to have the right side facing up and top stitch along the folded edge. Repeat this for the other zipper end, and then proceed to trim the excess leather and be equal width with the zipper.

2. Place one of the 9″ x 11 1/2″ leather pieces with the right side up, lay the zipper on the 11 1/2″ side edge with the teeth side down on top (make sure the entire zipper length is centered on the leather piece), pin in place if you feel you need the extra support to keep it lined up. I didn’t want to poke more holes into the leather, so I didn’t pin the zipper to the leather piece. Sew along the entire length of the zipper (you can use a zipper foot if you have one on hand, but I did without it). It’s best to pull the zipper down to the middle when starting, so that it won’t get caught, then when approaching the zipper pull, leave your needle down in the leather, pull up your presser foot, pull up the zipper, put down the presser foot, and then continue sewing the rest length of the zipper and leather. When done, fold the leather on the seam and top stitch the entire length near the fold. Repeat for the other 9″ x 11 1/2″ piece of leather and the remaining zipper side.

3. Pull the zipper down to the middle, place the leather with their right sides together, lining up all the edges, and sew around the 3 edges of the clutch. Snip any excess thread and trim any excess leather. Pull open the zipper and turn your clutch right side out, and there you go!

My best friend has one of those fancy Clare Vivier clutches. It is quite lovely, but I’m not really a bag person, I’d rather spend the money on shoes. I’ve had these leather scraps I’ve been hoarding for like 7 years (back when I used to make True her baby shoes!) and I took those scraps out and got little leather clutch happy. I had been using a 99 cent store wallet for myself, so I was happy to make a little one out of the leather too. I ended up messing up a smidge on the zipper part, but it does the job. I got the silver stripe on accident because I had painted a bright pink one on, but it didn’t stay and was peeling off, so when I peeled it all of, it lifted some of that bronze color and what was left was a silver stripe. It wasn’t my original idea of pink, but it was a good accident.

I didn’t put any lining inside because my best friend’s fancy one didn’t have it, so I thought I could do without it. Although, should I attempt to make another (because I just need more clutches in my life, obviously), I’d add in the liner. I originally wanted to make one to put my planner and sketchbook in, but now, I’m thinking Ben needs to take me on a date because the clutches feel a little bit too fancy just for my planner and sketchbook. Am I silly or what?! Maybe now I need to make a fabric clutch instead!

I love calligraphy! I took a semester worth of classes eons ago when I was in middle school, and I love to play around with it when an occasion requires, but my calligraphy knowledge is definitely limited. Thus, I am especially excited that this Sunday I will get to hone my (barely there) skills further under the teaching of Laura Hooper as I will be joining in on her beginners’ workshop in Manhattan Beach at the Shade Hotel. I know she has a few slots open, so if you want to join in, you better hurry (I’m in the 10am class, but there’s also an afternoon class if you can’t make the morning one). I don’t know anyone else who’s going to be part of it, so it would be fun to do it with a friend (dear readers, I definitely consider you friends!).  If you aren’t local and want to learn calligraphy, don’t you fear, Laura teaches all over the place. If you’re in Brooklyn, Seattle, San Francisco, Georgetown, Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Denver, or Salt Lake City, she’s coming your way, and you can get more info about it here.

Laura’s beginner’s workshop in modern pointed-pen calligraphy will teach you about the tools of calligraphy, basics in brushstrokes and technique, as well as cover a full alphabet. If you are just starting out or are looking for hands-on tips and techniques to improve your beginner’s hand, these workshops are for you!

Each workshop will include:
– 3 hours of instruction with Laura Hooper
– 1 pen holder
– 2 nibs
– 1 pot of black ink
– 1 instructional alphabet w/tracing & practice sheets
– 1 keepsake Laura Hooper Calligraphy tote bag
– light refreshments

Investment: $225 (includes all supplies)
To register, please click here to select your workshop of choice.

Don’t forget to email me if you do sign up! It would definitely be nice to have a friend to do the class with.

*All photos courtesy of Raya Carlisle.

Ms. Tips is one of my most favorite vintage shops on etsy (and happens to be a Cakies sponsor). I check in there constantly to see what Tammy has in stock. I’m bummed that I missed this vintage swimsuit, but she does have a few others (like this one) I’m mulling about in my mind. Makes me also wish I could wear this (or this) two piece, but after having four kids, I don’t want to show anyone that tattoo of fire I have going on. They are my battle scars and they are more fierce (not in the Beyonce way) than pretty, but for my four girls, I gladly take these battle wounds for sure. I just don’t plan on showing anyone else! Anyway, there’s a big sale going on at Ms. Tips and she has everything marked down 40% for 4 days starting tomorrow, March 25th at 8am CST. If you’re eyeing something, I’d make sure to snap it up because if you wait on it like I did with that yellow bathing suit, it will be gone in a flash!

I’m also excited that Tammy’s on instagram now too (@mstipsvintage). It’s another fun way to peek into her days and see all her amazing vintage finds. Tammy always finds the best stuff, which really makes me want to visit Minnesota one day!

*a new month is coming up and if you’re looking for a way to get your shop or blog out there, just send me an email to inquire about sponsorship!

My good friend, Reese, celebrated a birthday this past weekend and her husband enlisted our help in plotting out a surprise party for her. We provided the place, decor, and some snacks, and the rest of our friends pitched in with more snacks and lots of cheer to pull off the surprise. I did a “gold and gemstone” theme because it’s sort of an inside joke. I picked up gold fringe garland from the party store and (30 minutes before the party started) I drew gemstones on bright colored poster board, cut those out, added some wooden skewers, and inserted them into the various snacks for the par-tay! I cut off a branch of bougainvillea from our yard, put out a couple little plates of tea light candles, and we were good to go. Then we just had to wait for the birthday girl to arrive!

The birthday girl isn’t much of a sweets person, so crackers, cheese (served on this bark cheese board), hummus, and chips were mostly what dominated. The snack winner of the night was brie with a little bit of the jalapeño raspberry jam on top of some crackers; that combo was so deliciously good!

Reese was definitely surprised and declared, “This is the best birthday ever!” Apparently, she always wanted a surprise party and this was her first! The evening continued on with everyone hanging out singing worship music together and giving Reese words of encouragement. It was just such a great night of celebrating what God’s been doing in her life thus far.

Sunday was spent at my mom and dad’s house celebrating their second engagement. Yes, you read that right, second engagement. My mom and dad got married quite young (20 & 21), and the first time around my mom kind of proposed to my dad. Since they were so young (and didn’t have money), my dad just got my mom the tiniest diamond ring he could afford. Fast forward 33 years later, he upgraded that rock and planned a romantic proposal (this time he did it, and one knee) for her when their wedding anniversary came around this past Valentine’s Day. Yup, my parents got married on Valentine’s day in 1981. My mom called me after it happened all giggly and saying it went too fast, and how she wished she could relive that moment again. I just laughed because they are already married! HA!

My parents are the sweetest. Sure! They have fights and can both get crazy on each other (I remember tons of times my dad got kicked out), but they are also very much crazy in love. It’s because they are passionate when they fight and they are passionate when they love. They set a good example of marriage for me (and my siblings) growing up, and it’s one of the reasons I was excited to get married myself. My parents didn’t make it look easy, but they would go through the good, bad, and ugliness of marriage trying to love each other and Christ through all the selfishness. Though I kinda laugh at the silliness of my parents wanting to have another wedding (we are really planning another wedding for them two years from now), I’m really so thankful that my parents are still are madly in love with each other and that they want to share that with all their family and friends. Thanks mom and dad for the good example you set for us! 

Obviously, our weekend was full and busy, but is was for sure good as there were a lot of good things to celebrate! But oh man, oh man, I’m so tired today. #draggingmyfeetmonday