happy holidays 2012

donations. check.

tree. check.

Happy holidays everyone!

Year End Tax Tips

Gosh another year flew by already.  Instead of working on new years resolution, you might want to take this time to get some things wrapped up and get ready for 2013.

Are there items on your to do list that you've been avoiding to complete?  Just do it.  Sometimes it's more stressful having the tasks hanging on your shoulder. (three more hours of classes to go...)  This leads me to my next item to be completed before year end:

If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, it's a great time to clean out the wardrobe and donate things you no longer wear or use to a qualified 503(c)(3) organization, such as Goodwill. For tax record keeping purposes, it's also good to get into the habit of making a list and note the condition of the items. Since digital cameras or cell phone cameras are so handy these days, I suggest taking photos of the items as well.  Be sure to ask for a receipt for your records!  Click here for more details about charitable contributions.

Once your itemized deductions are ready and projects wrapped up, don't forget to kick back, relax, have some hot coco, enjoy the cold weather and reunions with friends and family. <3t

***

All information provided here are intended as a convenient source of tax information. This information is general in nature, is not complete, and may not apply to your specific situation. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your tax needs.

DIY: diaper cake

Diaper cakes make great presents for expecting parents and it makes a fun weekend project.

I purchased three boxes of diapers, which is actually more than I needed.  I could make two 5-tier cakes or three/four 3-tier cakes.

Rolling diapers take a long time,
so I folded the diapers in half for the bottom 3 tiers.

Stuff the inside of the cake with baby blankets,
baby products, or more diapers.

The fun part is when all the layers are in place,
 you get to decorate the cake!

<3tingtinging

sneak peek

DIY baby shower present project sneak peek :)

<3tingtinging

mission peak

For my second hike, I decided to step it up a notch.  Or two, or three, or ten...

Mission Peak - Fremont, California

Peak Trail.  This looks like a piece of cake...
but trust me, it gets really steep towards the last part of the hike.
I couldn't take any photos to show you,
because I was too busy trying to keep my balance!

Interesting footsteps along the way.

Made it to the top!
The hike to the top took about two hours with some stops here and there.
It is WINDY up at the top.  I recommend wearing layers.

I had to leave my mark.
The hike really was an accomplishment.
<3 tingtinging

Of course we can't forget the wild life along the way...

Cattle drinking water.

Wild turkeys. They ran away from me. =T
They can probably sense that Thanksgiving is near.

Cattle family. <3

Spotted a lizard.

Action shot.

Overall, the weather was great for hiking!
I think it'll take me a few days to recover,
but it feels great to have completed the trail.

till next time! <3T

in touch with nature

I went on my first hike this Columbus Day weekend in Point Reyes, California.  The sun was shining, but the temperature was not too hot and the trail we went on had a good amount of shade so it was a good experience overall.

Muddy Hollow Trail is about 1.5 miles one way and it takes us to the beach.

The view on the way...

Pinecone for souvenir?

On our way back, we spotted a deer!  I'm glad I brought my new zoom lens with me. :)

Tips for hiking:

- Bring water and stay hydrated.
- To prevent sunburn, wear sunscreen and reapply every few hours, and wear long sleeves!
- In case the hike takes longer than planned, bring snacks (energy bars are great).
- Do some research online on the trail you plan to take.  Print out maps and familiarize yourself with the resources available.
- Let someone know where and when you'll be hiking.

strawberries

nom nom...

healthy snack...

topped with powder sugar...
not so healthy

happy friday

Happy Friday everyone!

I hope you had a great and productive week, because I did!

Have an awesome weekend.

obsession

Ever since my braces came off, I started an obsession of snacking on popcorn... Tell me this doesn't look appealing!

caramel with chocolate drizzle popcorn

What's your guilty pleasure?

<3 tingtinging 

DIY: money envelope

Click here to see my second DIY $ envelope blog post.

vegan

Another interest place I ate at in LA was Shojin.

The restaurant's menu contains...

We had the pumpkin croquette (a crunchy pumpkin and tofu croquette with homemade tomato sauce...

and I forgot what this is called but it's not meat! (it doesn't taste like meat either)

then we also had a tofu pizza (it doesn't taste like pizza but it was pretty good)

and the pirates of the crunchy roll was tasty as well.

Lastly, we had RAMEN!  This was a bit disappointing, because I thought that the broth was just a tad bit too salty...

But overall, it was a pretty good experience for my first vegan meal.  The restaurant decor was also super awesome.

I didn't bring my camera to the restroom, but there's a signed photo of Alicia Silverstone - a vegan - posted in the ladies room.  :)

tingtinging out!

follow me

Do you want to see what's inside the bridal shower gift boxes?

I got these from Victoria's Secret.  I think the groom-to-be would appreciate this present.

<3 tingtinging

cricut creations

With my new cricut cartridge, thanks TG, I was able to make these adorable take out boxes to wrap my friend's bridal shower present.

I used wires to hold the boxes together so that it doesn't get ruined by tape or glue...

Best wishes to the bride-to-be!  Your wedding plans are falling into place, relax and enjoy your day. 

<3 tingtinging

satisfied

I forgot to mention that I visited LA in July!

I finally got to try dumplings from Din Tai Fung!


Pork Dumplings - Din Tai Fung

When I was in Taiwan last year, the line at the Din Tai Fung in Taipei was about a two hour plus wait... so I never got to try their dumpings. :( But I'm glad that I got to try it in Los Angeles, CA. The dumplings were really good and not one of the skin broke from the process of picking it up.

I also tried two other types of dumplings:


Fish Dumplings - Din Tai Fung 


Shrimp and Pork Shao Mai - Din Tai Fung


The fish dumplings and shrimp & pork shao mai were both good as well. However, I think my favorite is still the orignal pork dumpling.

Till next time! <3 tingtinging

Zen Packing - part II

I hope you are enjoying the summer so far.  In case you are traveling, here is part two of my Zen Packing post.

• Try not to over pack! Check with the airline you are flying with what the weight limits are for your check in bags to avoid hefty fees.  Also, don't forget to check the dimensions of allowable carry-ons.
• Roll your clothes.  This surprisingly saves space and may help with preventing wrinkles in your clothes.
• Bring extra plastic bags so that you can separate your clean and dirty laundry.
• Stuff your shoes with socks or paper towels so that your shoes doesn't get crushed out of shape.
• Utilize the straps in your luggage to hold everything in place!

<3 t

mini Eiffel tower

I'm traveling again!  Guess where I am going this time?

Here's a hint:

I made the mini Eiffel tower with my cricut!

No, not Paris...

I'll be heading to the desert city of Las Vegas, NV where they have a Eiffel Tower replica! Photos to come when I return, maybe. ;)


<3 t

Hello Kitty

Hello Sanrio Fans!

Hello Kitty has been around since the 1970s.  I just thought that I'd share how much Hello Kitty has accomplished over the years!  Aside from school supplies, Hello Kitty has her own cafe, baking products and wine, and cosmetics and jewelry line!

Hello Kitty Sweets - Taipei, Taiwan

Homemade Hello Kitty Cake

Hello Kitty Makeup!

Have a great week everyone!

National Doughnut Day!

Guess what?  June 1 is national donut day.  To celebrate, Krispy Kreme is giving out free donuts!

"The offer is good for one free doughnut of any variety per customer on Friday, June 1 only. Visit http://KrispyKreme.com/ for store locations. "

Whatever happened to the donuts burger idea?

<3 to my active blog readers from your not so active blogger ;)

Duck tape or Duct tape?

More randomness:

One day my coworker messaged me saying that she purchased "duck" tape for emergencies.  I corrected her saying that it should be "duct" tape.  That same day, I went to a crafts store and saw that they sell "duck" tape.  Out of curiosity, I googled "duck tape vs duct tape".

It turns out that both names are appropriate.

"Duck" tape was first manufactured during WWII when the military needed a waterproof tape.  Everyone referred to it as "duck" tape, because it is waterproof like a duck's feathers.

After the war, it was discovered that the tape was also great for joining heating and air conditioning duct work (special duct tape, not the common duct tape). The color of the tape was changed from the original army green color to silver and people started to refer it as "duct" tape.