SPAM! It's for breakfast!

I love Spam...I cannot help myself!!
I love that delicious concoction of canned meat, and I <3 it for breakfast!

While I love Spam it's not really the most nutritious thing to eat on a regular basis, BUT to ease my guilty cravings I have turned to..... Turkey Spam!

Stop looking at me like that.

It is actually very tasty. I promise.

Ingredients:

1 Red Bell pepper
1/4 c of Egg whites
1 egg
4 oz of Turkey Spam
Pam Non-stick Spray

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bell pepper in half and then into quarter inch strips. I find that cutting them down to manageable strips lets me see how much bell pepper I really have to work with. I like to cut them down into small bite size pieces, but it is really a matter of opinion cut as large or as small as you like.

Slice up the spam into quarter inch pieces.

Spray pan with non-stick spray and saute bell pepper and spam for 5-8 minutes.

Remove the pepper and spam and place in a dish off to the side.

Measure out a 1/4 cup of egg whites, add egg into the mixture and beat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour egg mixture into the skillet and cook for a few minutes, which will allow the egg mixture to begin to set.

Generously spread the spam and pepper mixture into the eggs, and make sure to season generously with salt and pepper.

 Put skillet into the oven and allow to finish for 5-10 minutes.

Pull out your guilty pleasure breakfast and enjoy!

Makes one serving.

Nutrition:

Fat: 14g

Carbohydrates: 5g

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 36g

Weight Watchers Points+ 7pts

Things I love : SISTAR

I love K-pop....yes, I said it. 

Most of the world is all about PSY's Gangnam Style, and while I think the video is hilarious, there is only so much I can see it, heart it, and watch my student's latest version of the dance and song.

HOWEVER, there is a lot more out there as far as K-Pop is concerned, and even then K-Pop is just scratching the surface of all the amazing Korean music there is here in Seoul! More to come on some amazing Korean funk bands that I had the pleasure of seeing at a nearby underground club. 

Right now, my K-Pop poison of choice is Sistar's "Loving You". I don't know if its the setting in Hawaii, the adorable outfits, or the really catchy hook and chorus that even I have mastered to sing in Hangul, but "Loving You" is what you can find filling my ears at the moment while working on blog, shop, and grad school applications. 

"Loving You" never fails to put me in a happy mood and it is always the perfect song to stave off the Monday blues! I wanted to share this little sunny gem with everyone and I hope it makes everyone's Monday a little happier.

Sistar is an all girl Korean Pop quartet made up of Hyorin, Bora, Soyou and Dasom.  "Loving You" is the group's take off single for 2012, and the group has been around and releasing catchy pop tunes since about 2010.  My favorite is Hyorin! She is rocking the Hello Kitty glasses in this photo and the video.

  I feel so assimilated now, finally a blog post dedicated to K-Pop.

Next up, DIY Sewing Kit! Also, look for some lovely little updates in the shop!

Shop Preview!

We just had a fun little quick photo session today, and we have a few beautiful vintage pieces in the wings! Here is a little something from our photo fun, and we can't wait to get all the items up in the shop! 

Also, winter is approaching, and we are considering carrying vintage furs. On a recent trip around the city, we lucked out and stumbled upon a hidden treasure of vintage fur. 

Yea? Nay? Let us know what you think!

The Perfect Pear Design

I am not by any means a techy person or an Internet savvy person, but I did want a design for my personal blog, which would be able to reflect my personal style. I went on a long search, spent a ridiculous amount of time on the Internet trying to find a blog design I could be proud of, and then another indeterminable amount of time having a heart attack at the prices of anything remotely decent.

However, just when I was about to give up on having a blog I could be happy with I found The Perfect Pear Designs! From the very beginning Lauren was attentive, friendly, and I never once felt like I wasn’t able to contact her with an idea for the blog’s creation. Lauren is a professional at what she does, but she never makes you feel like she isn’t personally invested in your project. Lauren was patient and helped me narrow down, figure out, and finally create the look I wanted for my blog even when I didn’t know how to explain it.

If you are looking for a talented, caring, and hard working designer to help create your newest social media blog or design then Lauren at The Perfect Pear is your girl. 

Lauren gave me the tools and confidence to feel like a pro, and I know she can use her magic wand on your blog to give it that something special, too.

For Lauren's personal blog click, here.

Visit her Etsy shop, here.

Check out her bundle pricing and blog additions, here.

Things I love : Seoul

Things have been very hectic with paper revisions, school applications, teaching, taekwondo, and still trying to get new inventory for the store, all the while making sure not to neglect my personal relationships. Because the flurry of activity I have not had the expected time I wanted to create the string of blog posts that have been dancing around in my head, so here is a quickie!

Here is a small collection of candid shots from my ever constant hunt for new vintage finds. Seoul is an amazing city, and you can't help but love it once you have gotten to know it.  I couldn't be happier about moving to Seoul and I look forward to each new day that I get to spend in South Korea!

Next on the list of blog posts:a lovely little post on how to DIY your own sewing kit, and reviews on an amazing blog designer, and Clinique's lip chubby stick!

*All photos are my property. Please request permission prior to their use. 

Thank Thoreau

I just registered for the GRE. I am FREAKING out.

If you talk to anyone, anyone at all, you will find that I have dreamt about graduate school since I was a small girl. I had more books than friends and I wasn't sad about it. I have wanted to go to graduate school more than anything. I didn't play with barbies, I tried to figure out where the dinosaurs went, and why the Egyptians built pyramids.

So much work is to be done and I feel like a rubber band being pulled in so many directions. Runner. Wife. Etsy lady. Blogger. Novice Seamstress. Teacher. Friend. Taekwondo kicker. Daughter. Hangul student. Now, I am adding on studying for the GRE, getting my applications together, and finishing my writing sample....Sheesh.

But as I think about all the work I have ahead of me, and all that must be done to apply to grad schools...I think about this....

"...if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
 -A Life in the Woods
Henry David Thoreau

Thank Thoreau.

I would just change the he to she ;)

Language Time: Hangul

I have had a few readers ask me if the language is difficult, what books I am using, how much I study, ect. so I decided to make a blog post covering to answer these questions. ;)

At first glance, Hangul can be a very intimidating language, but you shouldn't be scared away! I won't lie because Hangul is certainly not a walk in the park by any means, but with time and effort, you can make the language work for you!

I have a background with languages, growing up in a bilingual home with Spanish spoken at home, and I also studied and minored in Russian while at University. That being said, Hangul absolutely baffled me! Hangul is far more tonal of a language than I have ever studied and it takes a finesse that is bit frustrating, but is oh so gratifying when you are able to communicate efficiently and correctly.

Here is a photo of the three books that I have used to begin my education of the language, and a photo of my FAVORITE WORD in Hangul. ELEPHANT/ Kokkari (which also means eskimo kiss) I love this word so much and I have taken to yelling it out when I am excited about something as a victory word, which my Korean friends think is hilarious. :)

Books:
1) Korean at a Glance : Barron's
2) Your first 100 words in Korean : Jane Wightwick
3) Korean through English: Hollym/ Seoul Natl. University

I love all 3 books for entirely different reasons.

I love how Korean at a Glance fits in my purse and I can whip it out quickly. Korean at a Glance doubles as a useful dictionary and phrasebook, and has the added bonus of having a subway map! (very useful if you are phoneless)

Your first 100 words is fabulous because it has so many hands on activities which give you an opportunity to read, write and problem solve. More activities = more opportunities for your brain to make connections! The book also has great cut out words which you can use as flashcards. I took the opportunity to tape my flashcards to various objects around the house to give me an extra chance to become familiar with the word.

Korean through English is by far the more comprehensive book of the 3, and is great for giving you a way to hear, speak, and write in Hangul. I love how each section consists of all 3 methods of learning, which is once again a great opportunity for your brain to make connections.

I am enjoying my foray into learning Hangul, and I am becoming quite proficient at communicating and understanding the Koreans around me. If you are moving to South Korea, please take the time to learn some Hangul! It isn't impossible, just difficult, but knowing the language will give you so much more understanding of the country and its people. I know that learning Hangul has enriched my experience in South Korea like nothing else could have, and for that I am grateful!

I hope that if I continue my current regime of about 30 minutes a day, that I will become fully fluent before my time in Korea comes to an end. As my time here goes on, and I move on to new books and materials I will make sure to do an update post!

The Object Enthusiast

My friend Emily Reinhardt is the talented owner of the Etsy shop The Object Enthusiast, and her ceramic work is simply amazing! I love how Emily is able to put her whole heart into her work, an ability that is able to transform an everyday object such as a jewelry box into a treasured keepsake.

Emily's work reminds me of Kansas, where she and I met while we attended Kansas State University and worked at a local organic co-op (totally hippy and awesome). Emily was always a spot of sunshine at the co-op with a kind word and a warm smile for everyone, and I loved working with her. I have random bouts of homesickness....yes, Kansas is definitely home to me now, and when I saw this beautiful jewelry box in Emily's shop I was instantly reminded of home.

I had to have it!

I was in love from the moment that I lifted this little treasure out of its box and I knew the perfect thing to keep in it. My wedding and engagement rings. When I look at this jewelry box I am instantly reminded of the sense of love, community, and acceptance I experienced while a student at Kansas State. Emily's love and careful attention to detail are present in the craftsmanship and quality of this darling little addition to my bedroom.

 For more of Emily's work visit her blog, here.
Also, I wholeheartedly encourage you to stop by her Etsy shop, The Object Enthusiast, for more beautiful ceramic work.

Preview!

Here is a little preview of what is to come in the next day or so!

I am in LOVE with polka dots and it is starting to show in the items that I am drawn to in the markets. I am doing my best to make sure that I don't make things redundant, and I think this dress is anything but.

I am super excited to share these next pieces with you, and I hope you love them as much as I do.

For more vintage flair from South Korean visit our shop, Seoul Sold, here.

 

Things I love: Daven Your Crazy Hair BFF!!

When it comes to hair tutorials, Daven Your Crazy Hair BFF!! IS SIMPLY AMAZING! I stumbled across Daven's channel from my makeup favorite, Michelle Phan's youtube channel. On par with Michelle Phan's level of detail and insturction, Daven's tutorials are funny, easy, and extremely helpful for mastering new hair techniques.

Daven Mayeda's youtube channel is the thing of hair dreams! Subscribe to this hair guru from Hollywood's channel and your locks will never look better! In this video Daven gives some wonderful instruction on how to get the most use out of your standard curling iron. I have tried all of the methods with my own curling iron and I couldn't be more pleased!

I hope you get the most out of this tutorial and happy curling!

If you want more Daven Mayeda in your life visit his amazing blog, the Daven blog, here.