Canvas Backpack

In preparation for a trip to India, I wanted a lightweight backpack to fit the essential items while but not so big where I would lose my things at the bottom of of the sack. So I made my own using hardware from old handbags.

Moving forward

The new year feels the same, but priorities are shifting, and new goals for this year are put into action. I'll post these goals up soon, so you can hold me accountable for them!

In the meantime, I present to you the next Baftani collaboration. As upsetting as this might sound, the winter is just starting to pick up, so if you would like to a cozy indoor hobby such as knitting, I've got just the event on Saturday, February 4th.

The talented Miss Pegah has been a long time knitter and will be teaching everyone (knitters of all levels, including those that has never picked up yarn+needles) how to make an I-cord necklace at this class. Like last time, this Baftani event will start the three-hour session with some light yoga lead by holistic counselor Lauren from Center Your Health. Valentine inspired finger foods will also be provided along with the recipes for you to re-creat dishes for your love ones.

This is a $60 registered event, which you'll get to:
Learn to make I-cord necklace
Do some yoga
Enjoy yummy food & beverages
Take home: double ended needles
Yarn
Yoga
Decorating ideas
And a crafting goodie bag!

Location: The Lore (112th St by 8th Ave)
Time: Saturday, 2pm - 5pm

Space is limited, so please register here!

Here are a few ideas for the I-cord.

Pics above provided by Purl Soho, and Etsy shops: FetchingCheryl, crazeecrafteez,   sharpenyourteeth, and angelamaupin

All are welcome and hope to see you soon!

Snow cones

2011 has been a very good year. After all I did start this blog, a good documentation of materials & ingredients I've experimented. Still knee deep in yarn, knitting scarfs & hand warmers as winter gifts, but also picked up crocheting - which is a lot faster but not as intriguing. I've started playing around with polymer clay and as a result, creating jewelry again. Yes, there is a lot 'making' going on at this moment, thanks to the many holiday days off!

If you haven't seen a flake of snow in NY since that bizarreness on Halloween, perhaps this set of snow cone earrings can help you through. This is just a sneak peak of my etsy shop coming in 2012.

Hope your New Years Eve will be a sparkling one no matter how you spend it!

Eggbot

It is a designer's dream to be able to print on spherical surfaces such as an egg, lightbulbs, christmas ornaments, etc. and that is exactly what an Eggbot will do.

My friend introduced me to this nifty machine that he already purchased, and I am totally psyched to try it out. Imagine all the possibilities this open-source, build-it-yourself machine.
Perhaps this will make it onto your Christmas list in time!

Details on how it works + purchase here: egg-bot.com

U-knit decorations

Everything about the Christmas holiday season makes me buy into the kitschiness of it all. Which is why when I heard Baftani was hosting an event call Knit & Eat, I had to jump on the chance to make it festive!

As a designer, there is a slight hoarding tendencies in me, especially when it comes to paper. For decorations, I like to use scrap materials saved from over the years, left over wrapping paper, old magazines, shirt fabric to reduce creating new waste.

For this Knit & Eat event I wanted to create a cozy, artisan atmosphere. Triangle fabrics flags and yarn pom-poms hung across the room can create that intimate mood by lowering the ceiling.
These zig-zag paper ladders were so easy to deck out any room.

This past saturday afternoon started with Lauren on some light stretching, ate homemade treats, all the while knitting with the talented Pegah and company.


Recipes for these unconventional party dishes seen below can be found on Lauren's website. I definitely recommend trying them out for the upcoming holiday parties as a healthier alternative, especially the Black Bean Brownie Bites, sounds weird but oh-so-delish!

Raspberry Oats Bakefast

 

Unlike many out there who despise oatmeal for breakfast, I happen to like it. Yes, oatmeal can be quite boring on its own since it is only a type of grain, but that is the fun challenge, to make it interesting. 

Made a batch of Raspberry Baked Oatmeal for a co-worker's birthday at the office, quite pleased with the turnout and there was enough left overs to last me a week! 

You start out by lightly frying two bananas in the pan with cinnamon, nutmeg + sugar

Detailed recipe here.

Thankful for Furniture

Just want to share the latest love in my apartment, the LIATORP desk and INGOLF chair from IKEA. I had acquired this set second hand from a friend of mine that was moving. This replaced a small, very old, ugly crappy desk that my cousin got years ago from Staples. It was so old that the thin wood sticker covering the 'engineered  wood' would peel off whenever I wiped it. With this pristine upgrade to 55-inch space, I feel imposing and inspired to get things done!

I'm even slightly shamed to show you my old desk, but it did last me through multiple moves in college then some post-college shenanigan.









Now I'm an adult!