SMALL DOSES OF WONDER

Dandy Lion

2012-02-07T16:53:00.046-05:00

Dandelion: Hello, what's your name?
Dandy Lion: I'm Dandy Lion.
Dandelion: Me too!
Both: Nice to meet you Dandelion! (chuckles)
Dandy Lion: How come I've never seen you before?
Dandelion: Oh, we just moved here a few days ago.
Dandy Lion: I'm sorry but have to go soon. Will you be here tomorrow?
Dandelion: Yeah, I'll be exactly where you found me.
Dandy Lion: Great, then I'll see you tomorrow!
Dandelion: Alright, bye Dandy Lion.
Dandy Lion: Bye!

And both waved goodbye. And that's how Dandy Lion and Dandelion became best of friends.

Fin.

This is probably the most unoriginal idea but I thought it would be fun to draw a lion with a dandelion mane. I'm not exactly sure what's gotten into my head yesterday, I must've been uninspired and hungry to be thinking about dandelions during work. Perhaps gardening season is fast approaching and soon dandelions will be in everyone's garden including mine. These charmers may cause disdain and distress to some but they're quite nutritious. They are rich in iron, potassium and zinc and a good source of vitamins A, B complex and D. Dandelions are great in sandwiches, salads and teas. Their roots are used to make wines and make a cheap coffee substitute – yum! Good thing lions don't find vegetation appetizing, they would've never made best of friends.

If you're interested in trying some dandelions this spring, check out this website. It's a great resource for all things dandelion. I hope to try one of these recipes soon and I hope you enjoyed my story. Have a happy winter!

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”

~Anais Nin

(Re)Solutions

2012-01-10T20:27:00.050-05:00

"Hello, did you say you wanted to play later?"

What happened to 2011? No day seems to leave any impression, as if time is constantly fleeting. I don't have any new New Year's resolution(s), I'm still working on the ones from last year (haha) but I do want to write a story. I used to write short stories and poems when I was younger but it never transitioned into a hobby. I wish I were as deeply engrossed in writing as much as I am in drawing; I still however enjoy writing especially when I want to be productive. One thing that I can't stand is not doing anything. I like using my time wisely especially when I spend long hours at work which leaves me mentally stagnant. The only creative thing I did yesterday was design a Chinese New Year header. So, after I got off work, I did a quick sketch of a dragon to supplement my otherwise trivial day.

I personally prefer the sketch – I just love the organic lines and all its imperfections, which makes it more charming. I hope you enjoyed my dragon. Happy New Year to you all and enjoy all your misadventures!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's learning to dance in the rain."

Elephantastic Cards

2011-12-19T19:03:00.053-05:00

I had to post today or it would never happen. I promised myself to do one productive thing a day to avert my mind from wandering – this laborious mind needs a break from mundane thoughts. And I didn't want to miss another month without blogging.

December is probably one of the most popular months for greeting cards. Thousands of cards are being sent and received every day. But the hardest part is choosing the perfect card and sometimes can be daunting. It's probably better to make your own if you have copious spare time or take advantage of digital technology; however, if you want to design your own card, you really need just one or two elements – for example: flower and elephant.
I had to create thank you cards for work and I came up with two random things not knowing what to do with them. Consequently, I started playing with colors and hierarchy. I only needed one design but I decided to make two, then four more!

Designing cards was exhilarating! I could have created hundreds more if I wanted to but I'm going to stop at six for now. It's very important to enjoy what you do or your mind will go stagnant. Creativity comes easily when the mind is relaxed, and it's something that I need to practice more often. I hope you guys enjoyed my designs.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!
~Hamilton Wright Mabie

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T12:20:00.010-04:00

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. This was an older illustration that I created for Kids' Night Halloween poster from last year. I forgot this existed until last week when I mistakenly opened an old folder and clicked on the file. I enjoy finding random things, it's like discovering treasures from the past. Below is the poster from our recent Trick-or-Treat night. It's not my favorite but I had to do something fast and easy. Maybe, I should've used the mummy....Happy Halloween everyone!

Where there is no imagination there is no horror.
~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

Out with the Old, In with the New!

2011-10-21T18:02:00.034-04:00

I was perusing old photographs and I found these pictures from my Senior Project. Before we could graduate high school, we had to do a final project in order to pass. There was no limit on the subject, you could do whatever you want as long as it was tangible. I chose to do a comic book since I was a comic book fanatic back then. I still enjoy comic books; however, I'm not as invested on them as before. Below is a collage of characters of my final project.

My Art teacher, Ms. Singer entered my project in the Visual Communication category and won third place. And she also nominated me to be in "Who's Who Among American Students" which was a great honor even though I didn't win anything but a free book. I was not big on competition and never considered my work exceptional but for some reason my teachers thought I was good enough to represent them and the school. I owe them a big thank you for encouraging and believing in me. Without them I would've never realized my potential. So, those are my old work and here are some new ones:

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Show and Tell

2011-10-18T20:33:00.040-04:00

Happy Fall everyone! My schedule has been a little hectic lately and I haven't had time to write. I wish I could go on a mini vacation before the holidays...Anyway, I just want to write a follow up post about the mushroom which I forgot to mention in the previous article. I hope no one went mushroom hunting recently. So here's the deal. Before you cook your mushrooms, have warm salt water ready and soak the mushrooms for 30 minutes to get rid of unwelcome hitchhikers, then you can prepare it however you want. There you go, I hope I didn't forget anything else.

Whew! Now that's done, I can move on to a more exciting story. Well, I met a little girl named Lucy, she's four and loves to draw. I have been very lucky to receive some of her artwork including school projects and I want to share them with you.

How cute are they? I just love kids art! They are so free and expressive. They don't care about negative and positive space or if the colors are in harmony, all they care is having a crayon or pencil in hand and a piece of paper to record their thoughts.

I found this one in the folder where I put all the kids' artwork. I'm not sure who owns this masterpiece but if I had to take a guess, it's probably Ayame's, my goddaughter. I hope these inspire some of you to draw even when you don't think you're good enough to sketch a circle. Drawing should be unconstrained and enjoyable – something that we all need to relearn.

When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college - that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget?"
~Howard Ikemoto

Mushroom Madness

2011-09-21T20:47:00.001-04:00

Have you ever spent countless hours on writing a blog just to be deleted in a second? It happened to me last week, everything that I wrote completely vanished just before I was about to publish it. I thought I was writing on the actual template and didn't realize it was temporary. I wrote a conclusive paragraph about mushrooms and how I obtained them; unfortunately, I couldn't retain what I had written, so I have to write the laconic version of the previous document.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a week of pouring rain, it literally rained every single day. Most people did not like it but I enjoyed the rain immensely, so did the plants in our yard and the surrounding trees. The best part about the rain was the emergence of mushrooms throughout the neighborhood. My sister and I picked some oyster mushrooms in our lawn and I found white mushrooms near my neighbor's sidewalk. We cooked the oyster mushrooms with bacon and once the bacon crisped, the mushrooms were nearly invisible. I tasted the remnants of the fungi only to find out it was infused with bacon flavor – I could not distinguish between the two – they were both crunchy and porky. The remaining mushrooms were simply steamed and they tasted like portobello. For those of you who want to embark on wild mushroom picking, make sure to identify the fungi species before ingesting them. I found this great virtual wild mushroom field guide to help you on your adventure but I recommend something tangible to take with you. And if you want to expand your knowledge on mushrooms, this one is a good resource.

I hope you enjoyed my mushroom post. Did you know that mushrooms multiply during a thunderstorm according to Koichi Takaki, an associate professor in engineering at Iwate University? You can find this article on National Geographic website.

“If only one could tell true love from false love as one can tell mushrooms from toadstools”

~ Katherine Mansfield

Shumai Love

2011-08-21T15:58:00.032-04:00

I was watching a Filipino tv show online and there was a segment about making shumai. Shumai is a traditional chinese dumpling served in dim sum. I grew up eating shrimp shumai but stopped when I developed an allergic reaction to shellfish; fortunately other types of shumai are readily available in asian supermarkets but you have to get them from the frozen aisle. After the show ended I went to bed obsessing over shumai. The next day, after class I drove to Whole Foods and bought the main ingredients: pork, fish, jicama and carrots (see complete ingredients below).

Unfortunately I don't have the exact recipe, I made up the measurements as I was mixing. First, mix ground fish and pork, followed buy chopped carrots and jicama. Add sugar, black pepper (can be substituted for white pepper), fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch. I'm not sure how much meat I had but one stick of carrot and half of medium-sized jicama will suffice for this recipe. I couldn't find wonton wrappers in Whole Foods; so, I ended up using egg roll wrappers – cut them in 4 pieces and voila! Here are the before and after shots.

I asked my mom and grandma to try it and both said it was tasty and better than the ones in the restaurants (^;^). My mom's birthday is coming up and she wants me to make shumai for her. Since I don't have the recipe, making shumai for a big event is a bit daunting but I am ready for the challenge!

That's the shumai cooking. I was going to edit the video but decided not to – it's the mishaps that make things interesting (~_^).

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

(Scott Adams (1957 - ), 'The Dilbert Principle'

The Vine that Ate the South

2011-08-15T06:35:00.005-04:00

When you remove the risk, you remove the challenge. When you remove the challenge, you wither on the vine.
~Alex Lowe

After I got off work last Saturday, I went to check the backyard garden for plants in dire condition but I saw something a lot worse than wilted plants, the kudzu behind our fence was starting to devour the trees planted alongside it. I immediately ran to the carport, grabbed the pruners and gloves, changed shoes and started cutting the vines. After a couple hours of battle, I finally freed the trees from being ingurgitated by this voracious plant. The vines were vicious; I inherited scratches that felt like hundreds of tiny cats had clawed me but it's worth the plight.

While I was cutting the vines, I thought of ways of how to get rid of them or at least prevent them from climbing over our fence and all I could think was, could I eat them? lol. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate everything about kudzu – when they flower, my backyard smells heavenly – I am lulled by its intoxicating fragrance. It's actually the only time when I look forward to seeing it thrive – to watch kudzu flower. So for curiosity's sake, I looked up recipes for kudzu and to my disbelief, kudzu is safe for consumption and I am so excited to share these recipes I found online:

KUDZU RECIPES

Kudzu Quiche
Makes 4-6 servings.

1 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped, young, tender Kudzu leaves and stems
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground pepper to taste
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 nine-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cream, eggs, kudzu, salt, pepper, and cheese. Place in pie shell. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until center is set.

Rolled Kudzu Leaves

Kudzu Leaves 1 can diced tomatoes 2 teaspoons salt 3 cloves garlic, cut in half Juice of 3 lemons
Bacon Grease (optional)

Stuffing ingredients: 1 cup rice, rinsed in water 1 pound ground lamb or lean beef 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon of allspice Salt and Pepper to taste

Gather about 30 medium-sized young kudzu leaves. Make sure area has not been sprayed with chemicals to kill the Kudzu.

Wash leaves. Drop into salted boiling water. Boil a 2-3 minutes, separating leaves. Remove to a plate to cool. Remove heavy center stems from the leaves by using a knife and cutting down each side of the stem to about the middle of the leaf. Combine all stuffing ingredients and mix well.

Push cut sides together and fill with 1 teaspoon stuffing and roll in the shape of a cigar. Place something in bottom of a large pan so that rolled leaves will not sit directly on the bottom of the pan. Bacon grease is great for seasoning.

Arrange Kudzu rolls alternately in opposite directions. When all are in the pot, pour in a can diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 3 cloves of garlic, cut in half. Press down with an inverted dish and add water to reach dish. Cover pot and cook on medium for 30 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook 10 minutes more.

Deep Fried Kudzu Leaves

Pick light green leaves, 2-inch size.

Thin batter made with iced water and flour
Oil

Heat oil. Rinse and dry kudzu leaves, then dip in batter (chilled). Fry oil quickly on both sides until brown. Drain on paper toweling. Eat while warm.

You can find all these recipes at Southernangel.com. And for those who enjoy being inebriated once in a while, kudzu flower is great for hangover and alcoholism. If you want learn more about kudzu, check out the video below. Happy eating and hopefully you learned something today about the mighty kudzu.

Raining Elephants

2011-08-06T21:19:00.022-04:00

It's sunny today, no droplets of rain in sight. I'm constantly hoping for a good rain everyday, not just a shower but heavy, pouring rain that will last for a couple of days. We've had some sporadic rain drops followed by a beautiful vivid sky but nothing too exciting like a torrential downpour. I don't want it to rain cats and dogs, I want hippos and elephants for once! I try to water my plants regularly but the arid summer days leave the ground bone-dry. How do I make it rain longer than 5 minutes? Perhaps I should stop dancing LMFAO Party Rock Anthem and learn rain dance instead. To answer this relevant question, I've conducted research on ways to make it rain and I found several enthralling answers.

TOP 10 WAYS TO MAKE IT RAIN

Wash your car.
Go on a picnic.
Do the Rain Turtle ritual.
Camp outside without a shelter.
Don't bring your umbrella.
Straighten your hair.
Hang clothes on line.
Bath a horse (it seems to work all the time).
Go fishing.
Apply geo-engineering.

There you go, I hope you enjoyed my succinct and riveting list.

How can I accept a limited definable self when I feel, in me, all possibilities.
— Anaïs Nin

Dreaming of Sleep

2011-08-01T19:49:00.023-04:00

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”

~Oscar Wilde

I thought I was going to be more productive this year but all I can think of is how to sleep and how not to fall asleep at work. I don't normally listen to music when working but I've been playing "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall and Totoro soundtrack to help me focus (these are the only available tracks in my computer). Majority of people probably start their morning with a hot cup of coffee to keep them energized throughout the day; unfortunately, unlike most people, a hot cup of coffee would put me to sleep instantly. So, rather than consuming coffee or hot tea, I've been drinking coconut water. I don't think coconut water has any active biological component for mental alertness but it sure beats plain water when it comes to taste. Sure, coconut water is refreshing but it's not as refreshing as having eight hours of sleep! For those of you who aren't getting enough of sleep, you should read this –

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep:

Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

Source: http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health

Alright, it's time for me to go to bed – time for my hormone of darkness to do its job.

Flashy

2011-07-14T16:56:00.006-04:00

I finally got the courage to play with Adobe Flash CS4. Yesterday, I bravely opened the program which looked so foreign and the same time familiar while sitting on my chair glaring at it, clicking on every single button thinking I could figure it out on my own which resulted in total disappointment. I wouldn't say it was a total failure but definitely detrimental to my pride. After a few minutes of trying things on my own, I hesitantly opted to ask for help from the mighty Google and there it was (actually a few of them) - the tutorial. Subsequently, I watched a video and read maybe two or three "how to's." The video wasn't that helpful but having diagrams of the panels helped me remember how to do the most basic animation. I haven't touched Flash in a decade, so it looks a bit rough. I hope you enjoy my animation.

I had no idea this was extremely short; I'm going to do the next one a second longer (^_^)!

Everyone wants to understand painting. Why is there no attempt to understand the song of the birds?
~Pablo Picasso

Happy Summer!

2011-07-05T18:13:00.018-04:00

Hello everyone! It's exactly been a month since I've blogged. I've finally finished the book but we still can't find a publisher. If you know anyone, please send them my way.

I wish I could tell you that I've been productive but I've just been exhausted. I would sleep for one week if I could. I think I need a very long vacation, perhaps with these guys.

I just love these drawings so I want to share them with you. Thank you to my sister for letting me post these adorable artwork from her students. If you're not familiar with these characters, check out Spongebob Squarepants on Nickelodeon. SpongeBob was created by Stephen Hillenburg, a marine biologist and an animator. Hillenburg got his inspiration from his own comic strip Intertidal Zone, which involved numerous anthromorphic forms of sea life while studying at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California in 1984. Three years later, Stephen decided to leave the institute to study animation and then enrolled at the California Institute of Arts in 1992. While in school, his thesis film Wormholes impressed Joe Murray and hired him as an executive producer for Rocko's Modern Life. Following Rocko's Modern Life, Hillenburg started to develop the series in 1996 and pitched the series to Nickelodeon in 1998, which aired on May 1, 1999 in the United States. So there you go – that's how SpongeBob SquarePants was born. The end. Here's a little song for you. Enjoy!

Forks Over Knives Premiere

2011-05-18T18:26:00.009-04:00

I went to the premiere of Forks Over Knives last week which was held at AFI. I was appointed to be the photographer that day and I enjoyed it immensely. The event went well, the crowd was amazing, the food was great and I met Rip Esselstyn, the author of Engine 2 Diet. I took tons of photos but I forgot to take a photo with him. I was too busy taking pictures of everyone and everything in sight. It was my very first time to attend a premiere and not to mention, I was documenting the event. I thought I was going to miss the movie but I was able to snag a seat next to the camera girl. Okay, I didn't exactly get a seat because the theater was packed but the steps were quite comfortable. I did love the movie, it was very informative but might be a bit extreme to a lot of people. If you haven't seen this documentary, I highly recommend you watch it; even if you're a skeptic, I assure you, you will learn something from it. It really made me think about what I eat and how it affects my health. To check out more photos, please click on this link.

Spring Garden

2011-05-05T09:32:00.029-04:00

I woke up to a chilly beautiful morning. I made smoothie for breakfast from cantaloupe, cucumber, spinach and hazelnut milk with chia seeds – it was delicious! I went outside to look at the plants, which I do every morning before I go to work but today was my day off and was able to appreciate the beautiful outdoors with no interruptions. The garden looked enchanted, I had to take photos. It was spellbinding the way the light hit every strand of grass and leaves covered in diffused light and flowers illuminated by the unobscured sky. The mother robin who was nesting in the dogwood, found worms to nourish its fledglings. I went outside, took a few shots of the front and back and then started sneezing. I thought I was going to die but I didn't think anyone has died from perpetual sneezing; so, I endured the pollen attack. Tekko, our dog ran outside once I opened the door, was also mesmerized by the garden. He sat on the grass quietly, perhaps listening to the serenading birds while the wind was blowing his thick mane. Here are some photos I took of the front garden.

And here are some photos of the back. For some reason the backyard garden looks enormous here, our yard isn't that big.

And here's Tekko giving me the raspberry.

If you're wondering what plants are in bloom right now, here's the list: Amsonia, Mint, Iris, Chinese Dogwood, Columbine, Honeysuckle, Heuchera, Allium, Phlox, Zizia, Variegated Nettle, Azalea, Baptisia, Blue-eyed Grass, Roses, Chinese Witch Hazel, Native Snowbell, Ninebark and Rhododendron. I'm sorry if I left anything out, that's all I can remember right now. I hope you enjoyed my photos. I'll take some more in the summer.

Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone. Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.
William Alexander

Book Project

2011-05-04T19:47:00.013-04:00

This little guy is the main character of the story.

I just finished the last page of the book I was working on for the past few days. I am super excited about this project! I've never illustrated a book from a story before. The first book I published was based on my illustrations so this is a bit different – it's challenging and fun at the same time.

A friend of mine approached me regarding doing illustrations for a book written by her sister. I read the story and fell in love with the characters – I hope I do the story justice. This book is so special and I am so delighted to be part of this cause. I can't show you the pages right now but I promise to post them once the project is in completion.

I'm not sure what quote I should write today but here's a good one.

Be the change you want to see in the world
- Gandhi

Postcards for Red Cross Approved!

2011-04-29T19:55:00.009-04:00

I can't believe it's finally here! I am in cloud nine right now and perhaps in the next few weeks. I've contacted Red Cross several times through phone and e-mail and I finally got a call from them on Monday! I spoke with someone locally and she was very helpful and sent me the necessary paperwork. So everything is setup and the postcards are ready to be purchased.

I designed this postcard to be distributed at the Sakura Matsuri in DC on April 9th; unfortunately, I didn't get the package two days later. So I e-mailed Red Cross to inquire about donating postcards but I didn't get any reply back until I decided to call the local chapter. I didn't hear back from them right away but this week I received a phone call from an unknown number and I normally don't answer random phone numbers but for some peculiar reason, I did. The person I spoke with was incredibly pleasant and helpful. She sent me an e-mail right after our brief conversation. It really was the best thing that happened to me this week. I still can't believe Red Cross answered me back! If you're interested in purchasing this postcard, here's the link to my store; I am donating everything to the foundation. So, please support this cause. Thanks everyone!

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
~Nelson Henderson

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T23:34:00.020-04:00

Happy Earth Day everyone! I hope you are all is enjoying your time off. This is one of my old paintings. I thought it's perfect for this quote.

“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”
~Native American Proverb

I also did a demo yesterday for the Earth Day Kid's Night at WFM Alexandria and here are some photos from the event. That's my table and the card I designed for the kids.

There are a few things you can do to be green. Here's a simple list you can follow from EarthDayNature.org.

Eat Smart – Learn what’s in your food, where it came from and who it impacts.
Eat Local – Where possible, buy food that is in season from local food producers.
Eat Sustainably – Eat sustainable seafood — one of the only things that we eat that we still get from the wild.
Eat Green – Eat more fruits and vegetables — it's good for your health and the planet's.
Eat Out – Spend more time outdoors and have a nice picnic with family and friends.

Happy Green Eating!

Little Healthy Eaters

2011-04-14T18:42:00.036-04:00

Whole Foods Market Old Town partnered with Mount Vernon Community School to teach kids how to eat better by showing them healthier food options. We did a three day class for two weeks with forty kids – each class was comprised of 20 students. Every day is a different theme, and each theme was accompanied by a different book, for example last week, we brought breads from all over the world and Kim, our Marketing Specialist read them the Little Red Hen, which I read when I was in first grade! And they were so apprehensive to try the Portuguese roll because it was made of white flour – unbelievable. When I was seven, I didn't care about whether the food was healthy or not, I ate it because it was delicious; however, I rarely indulged in junk food. So, today was the last day of Healthy Eating intersession class – the kids made fruit kabobs and vegetable taco wrapped in lettuce and I gave each one a button as a surprise. None of them were surprised but we received lots of hugs and thank yous. It was a lot of fun and the kids were amazing; I'll surely miss them. Below is the button I designed. Sorry It's a bit blurry, I didn't have enough light in my room. I wish I had used our Healthy Eating logo but this will suffice. The colors look a lot like Easter though.

I've also taken photos of their classroom and the school hallways. Look how adorable these are!

And a couple photos from inside the classroom.

Some photos after the class. This is my office, it's actually a 2'x2' cubicle with a door. I don't think three people should be inside – it impedes movement. That's me, Kim and Saba fooling around. Don't worry our boss took the photos.

And my favorite part of the day – presents! These were drawn by the kids in class.
What a perfect way to end the day!

I hope you guys enjoyed my photos!

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.
~Mark Twain

Groundhog Day

2011-04-12T18:14:00.037-04:00

I took some time off today to visit my dentist. Before I left I pulled some weeds out and transplanted a few plants in the back. My neighbor saw me; we started talking and learned that there's a groundhog residing under the shed – that explains commotion the other day when I let Tekko out. He was chasing something under the shed and all I could see was its tail – I thought it was a raccoon. This groundhog is supposedly massive, perhaps bigger than our dog. It was probably feasting on our backyard weeds; I hope it will bring friends over to share the plethora of weeds we harbor annually.

I was hoping for it to come out from its hideout before my departure but instead I found a box turtle sitting on top of oak leaves piled underneath the azalea. So no groundhog but it was still a great day.

Groundhogs (Marmota monax) aka woodchucks are diurnal and will feed on most vegetation especially alfalfa, clover and dandelion. They also enjoy leaves, bark and will occasionally indulge on insects and birds eggs.

These North American marmot species are the most widespread and typically found in fields, small woodlots, pastures, hedgerows and low elevation forests. They prefer to construct dens in well drained soils under a protective cover, which explains its fondness of our backyard. Here are some fun facts about groundhogs from Buzzle:

Facts about Groundhogs

Groundhogs are also called whistle pigs.
They have four toes on the front foot and five on the back foot. They can grow to a maximum of two feet when measured from head to toe and weigh somewhere around five to fourteen pounds.
Groundhogs have grayish brown fur and tails that are bushy. They generally have two layers of fur so that the outside layer can serve as waterproofing layer and the inside layer can maintain the body heat.
They dig their burrows with the help of their powerful limbs and thick claws. They are quite adept at it. They can remove up to seven hundred pounds of soil to make a twenty to twenty five foot long burrow.
The burrows that Groundhogs make have many chambers and also have more than one entrance, at times even three entrances.
They make a loud whistling sound as an alarm bell to make everybody aware that there is danger around.
These groundhogs are herbivorous and they eat plants like grass, clover and alfalfa. They also eat strawberries, peas, pansies and garden beans.
Groundhogs have several enemies who are predators like foxes, bobcats and human beings.
When it is close to autumn the groundhogs start gaining weight and become fatter.
During hibernation the body temperature of the groundhogs decreases from ninety-nine degree Fahrenheit to forty degree Fahrenheit. Their heartbeat also decreases from eighty beats per minute to five per minute. The breathing is also reduced from twelve to approximately four per minute. They hibernate to save themselves from the cold weather and when they hibernate their whole body metabolism slows down and the body gets cold so that it consumes less energy since it uses the stored body fat.
Groundhogs have amazing sense of hearing very sharp eyesight.
The breeding season of the ground hogs last from somewhere around March to mid or late April which is sometime immediately after hibernation finishes. Some people are of the opinion that they end the hibernation period just because the mating season starts. The gestation period is of about 28 to 32 days and the male groundhog leaves the day as the time for birth of young ones approaches.
The span of life for these rodents is two to three years approximately but they can survive up to six years in the forests and up to ten years in captivity.

“With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.’’
~ Lope de Vega

Happy Spring!

2011-04-06T19:43:00.021-04:00

Hello everyone and Happy Spring! It was such a lovely day today and I felt like drawing something silly. Perhaps it was the weather or the book that I just purchased (shown below) that inspired me.

I haven't finished reading it but I thought it was well written and the pages were filled with delicate and beautiful pencil drawings, illustrated by Tricia Tusa. Consequently, I thought it would be fun to draw with pencil – it's been awhile since I've held a pencil sharpener. So, I rushed to my room and found an old, untouched sketchbook and began drawing with the pencil I found in my brother's room. It started out okay but it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I was a bit disappointed and I thought I could fix it in Corel Paint. I have never used Corel in my life, the only reason I have it because it came with the Bamboo I purchased last month. And I was surprised by how easy it was to navigate the program and it had all kinds of brushes and tools. Although I had no idea how to use half the tools, I had fun experimenting and coloring – I think I'm going to be using Corel a lot. So, here's the finished product.

"I found you, you Spring Bandit!"

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.
~Ruth Stout

Zazzle for Japan Relief

2011-03-23T20:02:00.023-04:00

I'm very excited to let you know that I have new items in Zazzle to aid those who are affected by the the tsunami. I've been looking for ways to help out and I found out that Zazzle was doing something to support tsunami victims. So for each design with 10% royalties, Zazzle will match the donation in addition to the donated royalties. If you're looking to buying something, check out Zazzle, they have hundreds of designs to choose from and your purchase will go to a good cause. Here's some of the items I've created, feel free to browse – there are plenty of options.

In addition, my friend created this sticker to be purchased for only $5 and all proceeds will go to Tsunami Relief fund. You can visit her store at http://hope4japan.bigcartel.com. She has only 300 stickers and already sold 31 of them. If you're interested in acquiring one, simply click on the link above. I'm going to purchase one and I'll show it to you once I receive it. I'm also planning on selling some postcards by the end of next week in Ebay – I'll keep you posted.

Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.

- Amelia Earhart

Hope for Japan

2011-03-22T18:06:00.034-04:00

The most powerful earthquake hit Japan on March 11th - the fifth strongest earthquake since 1900, which left 400,000 people homeless and it's expected to climb to tens of thousands. When my family and I watched the news, I was astounded by how powerful tsunami is. I've experienced a lot of earthquakes in the Philippines but never of such high magnitude. I remembered my grandpa always yelling at us to get out of the house but I would just stay in my bed – I've never taken earthquake very seriously up until now.

Japan holds a very special place in my heart. I watched anime growing up, my favorite manga artist and film director is Hayao Miyazaki, I admire Shinzi Katoh's work, I love their food, culture and most especially the people – they are one of the warmest and sweetest people I know. One of my very dear friends family lives in Japan and fortunately they were not affected by the earthquake. My heart goes to all Japanese people especially the 100,000 children who were displaced by the tsunami. Japan needs a lot of help, here's a list of organizations you can donate to.

Also if you're planning on attending the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Red Cross will be there to accept donations from March 26 to April 10. In addition Cafe Press designed a limited edition t-shirt in support of American Red Cross – all proceeds will go to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami victims.

Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, sickness, of captivity, would, without this comfort, be insupportable.

~Samuel Johnson

Old and New

2011-03-13T14:32:00.040-04:00

I was searching for some files in the X-Serve this week and I found a folder with my name on it containing a few of my work from years past. When I opened the files, I couldn't believe how much my work has changed and thank goodness, I improved. If I were hiring a designer, I wouldn't hire myself (^:^). Actually, my portfolio was pretty decent, my work weren't as atrocious as these posters but what was I thinking?! Below are some of my before and after designs.

BEFORE

NOW

Always remember practice makes perfect and even if it doesn't make things perfect, it certainly makes a considerable difference. I always thought I was a mediocre designer, now I am an improved mediocre designer who is continuously learning amplitude of things. So don't get discouraged if you're not pleased with your work, let it be your motivation to aspire to be better.

“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.”
~ Karen Ravn

The Music Video

2011-03-10T20:27:00.027-05:00

After enduring a day of grueling rehearsals with a few mishaps along the way, our video made it to completion. This music had to be shot in three days and we only had a couple of hours to practice, despite of all the hiccups, it came out pretty decent. This has to be my ultimate favorite music video of 2011. I am so excited to share this with everyone! Get ready to be entertained.

Our shirts didn't arrive on time for the shooting, luckily Kim had extra shirts from our Cool Bean program and we ended up wearing them. I wish we had this on.

Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.
~ Indira Gandhi

Just Dance!

2011-03-06T18:37:00.053-05:00

My colleagues and I were rehearsing a dance today for our presentation next week. It was so nice to see everyone enjoying themselves. It was such a riot, I wish I could post the video here. After they left, I decided to do a dance animation. I've always wanted to learn how to do animation in Photoshop and today I made my very first animated character. I know it looks rough and awkward but it was quite an achievement for me. It's been years since I've done anything remotely close to this. Since I've worked in print, I haven't had a chance to play around with other programs aside from Illustrator and Indesign. The only time I use Photoshop is to do color correction or crop an image. I thought it would me take me eons to learn this technique but it was surprisingly easy. I found this great link in YouTube for anyone who's interested in learning animation using Photoshop – it's very simple to follow. The music was an afterhought, I added it using Imovie. Hopefully, the next one will be a slight improvement than the first. I hope you enjoy this compendious movie.

I shouldn't post this after my animated dance video but I love this song and the animation is exceptional. I wish I could do this dance in the future. Enjoy!

There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.
~Vicki Baum

The Plum and Orange story

2011-03-03T19:01:00.004-05:00

I was eating clementine at work today and a story came to mind. I must've been very hungry because it made sense to me at that time. So I typed it on my Ipod so I don't forget. When I got home, I ate and turned my computer on, opened Illustrator and created this.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

Ramen

2011-03-01T18:39:00.020-05:00

They had to take down the one of my chalkboards today since the promo is done. I hate erasing them but I have to so I can use them for the next promo. So, I took a picture of this particular board because it reminds me of ramen.

I had tasted instant ramen numerous times before and I thought they were delicious until I had the real ramen. Instant ramen is nowhere close to the authentic ramen. I don't know what they were thinking trying to imitate something with such inconceivable taste! So the first place I went to was Totto, next was Momofuku and the last one was Ippudo. Totto won my taste buds and my wallet, albeit I didn't pay for it. The only downside with all three places is the long-enduring waiting but it's all worth it. Anyway, if you're anywhere Manhattan and want to try some delicious ramen, go to Totto. I've always imagined that If I were in Japan eating ramen, it would taste just like Totto's or pretty close.

“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
Ludwig van Beethoven

101 Post!

2011-02-28T19:10:00.021-05:00

I am so excited it's my 101 post! I didn't think I could make it to 100 but here it is my 101 post! It took me two years to achieve it but I did it YAY! I thought I would make 101 characters for every post I've done but I didn't have enough time. I should've purchased a bamboo or just drawn 101 dalmatians to make my life easier but I succeeded in creating 45 characters! Check them out!

The funny thing is I'm not sure which was more challenging, creating 101 characters or trying to fit them in 8.5 x11 document hahaha. Anyway, I had a lot of fun and a little bit of sleep.

Your Life is your message to the world. Make it Inspiring.
Lorrin L Lee

Lost Art

2011-02-17T11:03:00.023-05:00

"Garden" by Ayame

I was looking through my box for my passport and I found this drawing tucked between papers. I don't remember when this was created but I know who did this masterpiece based on the style of drawing. Perhaps its a sign that Spring is approaching. I can't wait to see all the plants emerging from their dormancy and flowers in plethora of colors! This also reminds me of this picture that I also found by accident. That's me and my sister in Green Spring garden. It's been a while since I've visited the place, I am looking forward for the next encounter . A special note to Ayame – thanks for all the wonderful art.

"In the garden, my soul is sunshine." – Proverb

Alluring Angler

2011-02-12T19:32:00.027-05:00

“Don't worry I'll help you find your soulmate.”

I was searching the web for the most romantic animals and found this site.
It contains a comprehensive list of the worlds most romantic creatures; unfortunately, we were not included. This list includes:

Amongst the seven, I found the Angler fish most interesting. First of all it's the only fish in the list and has the most unique features. They have massive heads and crescent-shaped mouth with numerous sharp pointed teeth. Anglers acquired their name from their dorsal spine that protrudes above their mouths like a fishing rod. This luminous lure contains millions of bioluminescent bacteria which help attract preys or future mates. When a male angler finds a female angler, it latches itself by biting the female's body. Overtime, the male fuses with the female's skin and begins to degenerate until its eyes and internal organs disappear. This type of encounter is very rare so when both sexes meet the relationship becomes eternal.

And for those of you who enjoy romantic movies, I recommend you watch Up. It's one of my top most favorite romantic movies next to my all time favorite While You Were Sleeping.

The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and a richness to life that nothing else can bring.
~ Oscar Wilde.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

Happy Bunny Year!

2011-02-11T19:57:00.019-05:00

This is a bit late but I just want to tell everyone Happy Chinese New Year. It's the year of the rabbit according to the Chinese lunar calendar, which means an auspicious year for this sign. Rabbits are known to be wise, considerate, serene and fragile. They make excellent fashion designers, therapist, actors, PR agents and writers. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog. Here are some fascinating facts about these fuzzy creatures.

Rabbits don't eat breakfast cereals. They are "coprophagous" animals, which means they favor poop over Trix.
They don't eat or lay Cadbury eggs. They are strictly herbivores but love licorice now and then. It's not recommended to feed them sweets since they are incapable of throwing up food that upsets their stomach.
Not all bunnies live in the Playboy Mansion. Only imaginary rabbits make their homes in various places. In reality, rabbits live in burrows except for cottontails which prefers above ground nests, same goes for hares. Rabbits and hares are related but not the same. Baby rabbits (kits) are altrical, meaning they are born without sight, hairless and helpless while hares are precocial, they are equipped with hair and eyes but asocial. So don't expect them showing up in your next tea party.
Rabbits jump, not hop, for joy. Rabbits are happy creatures unlike Blinky from the Simpsons. They do the "happy dance" on occasion by twisting, twitching and jumping. This behavior is called binky.

source: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/chinese-new-year-5-fascinating-rabbit-facts

Below is a photo of Chinese Folk Artists in rabbit costumes in Beijing. The Chinese Lunar year is also known as the Spring Festival. It's celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with Lantern Festival on the 15th day.

Source: Express Newspaper

Also check out the lantern festival. It's really beautiful – enjoy!

The Little Pop Artist

2011-01-08T14:23:00.016-05:00

Elissa, Age 7

One of my favorite self portraits, done by my goddaughter Elissa. I thought it's pretty amazing how each drawing is a duplicate of each other. It will take me eons to achieve this level, I'm glad Adobe programs came to existence. Speaking of Adobe, I thought it would be fun to make this into pop art. So, here's the final product done in Illustrator.

Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?
Andy Warhol

A Very Late Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T16:08:00.023-05:00

I'm back! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! The long crazy hours has temporarily ceased. I hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends. I have a long list of New Year's resolutions and blogging is one of them – I hope to update my blog more and work on a new layout.

I don't have any new sketches or paintings but I have a few doodles that I want to share with everyone and I want to start with this. I received a box of Harry & David Peppermint Bark on Christmas from my Ayame and when I opened the box I found these cut-outs. I know it's a little too late or too early for Christmas but I thought they were so adorable. I hope you enjoyed them and belated HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
~ W. T. Ellis

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2010-10-31T17:52:00.005-04:00

Just a friendly little greeting to wish you
Happy Trick-or-Treating!

Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.

~Mark Twain

Fall Into Colors!

2010-10-27T18:14:00.038-04:00

I am such a slacker. If there was a best slacker award, I would have gotten the prize. I can't believe it's almost the end of the month and I have nothing. Although today, I have a little something for the kiddies. This week, I created a coloring page for our trick-or-trickers. The event starts today from 5 - 7 pm and we're giving away lots of goodies together with this coloring page.
When I was a kid one of my favorites things to do was coloring. I had all kinds of coloring books from x-men to barbie. I would use at least two or more colors on an object and I'd add black or a darker shade to create some depth – the possibilities were endless. I could've color all the books if I wanted to but I had to share them with my siblings. I hope you'll enjoy this one. Take those crayons and start coloring. Have fun!

“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.”
~ Al Hirschfeld

My Greatest Accomplishment!

2010-09-06T19:20:00.047-04:00

My very first cupcakes! YAY! I couldn't wait to blog about these delicious coconut cupcakes. I made them last night and it's my very first time baking cupcakes. I've always been intimidated by baking because I haven't been very successful in my previous numerous attempts. I tried baking bread, and then brownies and failed both times. Then I tried baking cookies – it didn't go well but it was less catastrophic. So, I gave up baking until a couple days ago, I suddenly got the urge to bake.

My biggest obstacle is when it comes to cooking and baking I don't like to follow recipes, I prefer creating my own; unfortunately, when I try to bake something, it never fails to disappoint me. I thought I should try again and challenge myself to follow a recipe (What a crazy idea!). Sadly, I failed to follow the recipe but I succeeded and surpassed all expectations – the cupcakes were amazing! By the way, I found the recipe from 52 Cupcakes blog and alter it a bit.

Here's my version:

Coconut Cupcakes

3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 egg
3 egg whites
1/2 cup flax meal
2 1/4 cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
8 oz unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar

(Check 52 cupcakes for instructions)

And for the frosting:

2 sticks of butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Beat together until light and fluffy.

I know that my baking adventures are not over yet but this time I am going to keep going. I hope to have more success in baking as much as cooking – I do love both art and science.

“When you look at a cupcake, you've got to smile.”

~ Anne Byrn

Color Coordinated

2010-08-17T18:00:00.020-04:00

After my New York trip, I promised my sister to finish the painting above. I've painted this photo before and I used markers which made it less taxing; working with acrylic definitely changed the whole experience. Choosing colors for the skin was the easy part, choosing colors for the shirt was absolutely arduous especially when you're working from a black and white photograph – I was so glad her tie was red. The whole time I was painting, I was imagining what colors should a white shirt have: purple, blue, green, grey, teal, brown, mustard etc. Then I decided to use them all. So there you go, when in doubt, dive into colors. Have fun coloring!

I dip my pen in the blackest ink, because I'm not afraid of falling into my inkpot. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trip To NYC

2010-08-14T21:10:00.045-04:00

My trip to NYC was brief and fun. It's my second visit to the city and this time I stayed longer than one day. It was so nice to get away from work and not worry about anything except for where to go and where to eat. Here are some photos I've taken during my mini vacation.

Our first stop was Alice's Tea Cup. My friend really wanted to go there for obvious reasons but we didn't get to try their hot tea – she had iced tea and I had orange juice instead. The food wasn't too bad but it was pretty pricey.

I'm not too sure where we went next but we rode the ferry to Staten Island and below is the photo I took of the Statue of Liberty from the ferry. I don't think New York will be New York without the statue.

Some random photos of New York streets.

Sculpture by Manolo Valdés called "Odalisca" at Broadway

We also stopped by Chinatown for some noodles and dumplings! Yum!

More food.

Our last stop was MoMA. We went there on Friday for "Target Free Friday Nights," hoping to get in for free and we thought we were early but when arrived the line was already four blocks long. So we decided to just purchase tickets to save time. Photos from top to bottom: Gustav Klimt, Piet Mondrian, Diego Rivera and Paul Klee.

I also found some interesting pieces at the museum: broken plates chandelier
and photo montage on wall.

Well, that's the end of my trip. I hope you enjoyed the photos.

Dance Uncensored

2010-08-13T22:55:00.021-04:00

After watching Ellen Degeneres danced in SYTYCD, I fell more in love with dancing. She made dancing look so easy. I think everyone should dance even if you both have left or both right feet as long as you have fun. Last week was National Dance Day and Nappytabs choreographed a special number and I was pretty apprehensive and intimidated with the steps but I'm happy to say that I survived the routine with no serious injuries. Here's a clip of me and my brother dancing. My sister actually joined us afterwards and she did an amazing job. We spent hours to learn the dance but she learned it in just a few minutes. I'm not sure what happened to the video but it's a lot faster than the original. This might hurt your eyes a bit but we have a good excuse – we're not dancers.

Warning: Might strain your eyes and not recommended for the faint of hearts.

To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.

Payday!

2010-07-16T15:36:00.012-04:00

Two days ago my mom handed me a dollar bill. As you can see this is a very special dollar bill – it was issued and made by Sarah. I feel so privileged receiving it. Although, I don't recall sporting a moustache during our encounter – I hope that's Abe Lincoln.

Fun Facts About Dollar Bills:

A dollar bill is 2.61 inches in height and 6.14 in length and about .0043 inches thick and weigh 1 gram.
It's made of 25% Linen and 75% cotton along with red and blue synthetic fibers which are distributed throughout the bill.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) prints 16,650,00 one dollar bills everyday to replace worn and older dollar bills. The government pays 4.2 ¢ for every dollar printed.
The average lifespan of a dollar bill is about 18-22 months

Source:http://www.zoomschool.com/math/money/bills/one/

Y Must I Go To NYC?

2010-07-12T19:56:00.045-04:00

I was super excited today after receiving an e-mail from the regional office regarding volunteering for the YMCA event. I replied to the invitation right away and told them I'll be there. But my excitement turned into disappointment when I remembered that I'm going to New York on the 28th and the event is the 29th of this month...Argh! How great would it be to be a part of Invention Convention? I wanted to go so badly but I already bought my ticket. If I had known about this event earlier, I would've rescheduled my vacation – this is one of the saddest moments in my life but I'll recover (perhaps). If you guys have time, I encourage you to attend – it's free! I'll be in New York and be thinking about Thingamajig...

Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas.

~Paula Poundstone

I used to be a member of Science Club when I was in elementary school in fact I was the secretary of the club. My childhood dream was to create a robot (haha!). In high school, I was selected by my teacher to participate in Science Fair together with two other students. My group created floor wax out of okra leaves. I'm not sure how we got the idea but it was a complete failure and we ended up adding paraffin wax to alter the viscosity of the solution. Of course we did not win (and thank goodness we didn't) but it was a lot of fun. I hope my science teacher didn't notice the foreign substance.
My invention.

Gnat Again!

2010-07-07T12:03:00.051-04:00

So I purchased Revlon Grown Luscious Mascara this week. And for those who know me, this might come a surprise because I don't wear a stitch of makeup. The closest thing to makeup that I use on my face is tinted lip balm. So, what's the deal?! Okay, I've been having problem with gnats entering my eyes. Every time I step outside, gnats would be flying into them. My theory is – since my eyes are too large and I have no lashes to cover them, gnats love to take refuge in them. If my lashes were longer, gnats would be more likely to avert an invasion. I hope this product delivers its promise and validate my theory.

According to B.M. Drees and John Jackman, authors of Field Guide to Texas Insects, gnats are attracted to wet areas on your body including your eyes and can cause conjunctivitis or "pinkeye." Most people confuse fruit flies (Drosophila) with Chloropid flies because of similar appearance but if you look closely, they differ in antennal structures, eye gnats have simple hair-like projection while Drosphila has feathered arista; however different, they are both vexatious and unsanitary.

Here's a quick sketch for you. I am so tired and hope to retire to bed soon. I don't necessarily hate gnats, I just don't like them in my eyes.

The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake.”
Leonardo da Vinci

Sunshine on Paper

2010-06-27T17:29:00.019-04:00

The best thing about coming home after a long day at work is getting presents! These original illustrations are from my friend Sarah who is 7 years old. I feel so privileged receiving such gifts. And who can resist a Happy Bunny? It's impossible not to smile.

Birthday Card

Portrait (Do you see the resemblance?)
That's me with my sister.

Garden

Happy Bunny!

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Influenced By Hamsters

2010-06-20T09:45:00.019-04:00

I went with my friend yesterday to watch Toy Story 3, which by the way, was a surprisingly great movie. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you watch it. I thought it was funnier and more relevant than the previous two "Toy Story" installments – any animation that makes me cry is fantastic. But despite of how amazing the movie was, I couldn't help but think about the hamsters in the KIA Soul commercial. I'm not a big fan of KIA but when I saw the commercial, I suddenly wanted it. So, I went online, did some research and found this car promising. It's not the best car but it's affordable and reliable. It sounds crazy but I am seriously considering getting this car (haha). If you're not convinced, perhaps this video will help justify my insanity.

Let's face it, would you rather have the toaster instead?

"If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done."

~ Ludwig Wittgenstein

All The Single Ladies

2010-06-15T20:42:00.019-04:00

Here's one of my godchildren dancing to the song "All The Singles Ladies."
She looks so cute in her little swimsuit. A little more practice and she
can be the next Beyonce. This song makes me want to dance everytime it's on – I wish I could dance like her.

“It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It is the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give. And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.”

~ Bette Midler

Birthday Card

2010-06-14T12:21:00.008-04:00

Ayame has been making birthday cards since 2009 and are becoming popular amongst friends and family members. Ever since she made a card for my sister, Ayame has been flooded with requests.

I didn't expect to get a card from her due to her hectic schedule: juggling between two schools, homework, storytelling and art but she took some time to make her coveted handmade cards for me. I was in the garden watering some plants when she gave me the card. I had to coax her to reveal what she was clutching behind her back. Here it is! Thank you Ayame!

the envelope

front

back
inside

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

– Abraham Lincoln

CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY ENGAGEMENT!

2010-06-10T17:08:00.015-04:00

My bestfriend is engaged! I am so thrilled for her – this is one of the best news I've received this week! She apparently got engaged three days ago and I didn't know about it until later but she did call me (after I called her) and left a message that she was planning on telling me on her day off.

Sachie and I met in Art class in college, ten years ago. I don't remember who approached whom first but I recalled her asking me to go to Torpedo Factory and I happily said yes and that's how our friendship started. She is extraordinarily talented, smart, caring, funny, sweet, loyal, thoughtful and very generous. We don't agree on everything; nevertheless, I have always valued her opinion and her thoughts. And although she's been heart broken several times, she's hasn't given up on love – a true trooper who is wise beyond her years. She's not just a great friend but also a sister and I'm glad to be a part of her journey.

So congratulations to Todd, for he is an extremely lucky man and to Sachan who finally found her prince charming. And a special thanks to Goma who made things happen. On behalf of my family and me, CHEERS!

‘‘Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.”

Replacement

2010-03-04T16:27:00.024-05:00

Last year, we changed the living room floor to wood and damaged the wooden fixture, famously known as “Tinikling,” in the process – a typical filipino home would have this wooden dancers somewhere in their house. This is the best photo I could find online.
So, now I have to find a replacement that complements the painting I bought from Ikea.

Le Tre eta Della Donna “Mother and Child” by Gustav Klimt

I couldn’t find one that I like and the ones I sort of like were a bit pricey. I did not want to spend a lot of money on a reproduction; consequently, I decided to paint one. I’m not sure if it goes with the other painting but it’ll remain on the wall until I find a better replacement. I am never satisfied with my work, so it might change in few months or years...

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

Belated Hearts Day!

2010-02-15T20:16:00.010-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I worked yesterday and I was too busy to take a lunch break but here's one of my doodles from one of my lunch breaks. I don't have a bamboo tablet at work so I use a mouse to draw.
I hope you like it.

Hot Cocoa Weather

2010-02-10T15:47:00.010-05:00

I love this banner. I made this for one of our Kid's Night events. Oh how I wish I was sipping some hot cocoa right now! It's been snowing for the past few days but it's too windy for a little stride around the neighborhood. I just saw a cardinal getting blown away by the wind while eating some seeds from our feeder. I wonder if they like the taste of cocoa beans.

A long time ago cocoa beans were a valuable commodity – they were used as currency as well as in cooking. The Aztecs were the first civilization who made chocolate drink but it's not the same one we're used to today. It was served cold with wine, chili peppers, and with no sugar. Sugar was not added until the 1500's when Cortez brought chocolate to Europe. This time it was served hot. One hundred years later, the cocoa enterprise continues. When it reached England in the 1700's milk was added to the beverage. It wasn't until the mid-1800s when it started to evolve past its liquid form. The Dutch invented cocoa powder. Subsequently, sugar was mixed with cocoa butter to create candy and in 1876, milk chocolate was developed. Perhaps in the next 100 years chocolate-made gas will be developed.

Source:http://coffeetea.about.com/cs/chocolate/a/chochistory.htm

Reusable Bag Design

2010-01-24T19:12:00.016-05:00

This was my entry for the reusable bag contest in Whole Foods; unfortunately my design was not chosen but I'm happy for the winners. The winning designs will be available in the Mid-Atlantic region, look for them around the store this Spring!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-12-31T15:27:00.006-05:00

The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows.
~George William Curtis

May you all have a wonderful beginning to a prodigious New Year and I hope we see each other more often in 2010.

Love,
Catherine

Bonjour et Bonne Journée Canada

2009-08-27T19:03:00.018-04:00

I had a five day vacation and spent most of my days in Montreal and the remaining day in Vermont. I wish I were riding in a hot air balloon so I could go to places faster – there were so many things to see but so little time.

I went to see Jardin Daniel A. Seguin and Montreal Botanical garden in Quebec. Montreal Botanical garden was the biggest garden I have ever seen. It took us almost 8 hours to walk the whole place. After Canada I went to Vermont to visit one of my very best friends Sachan a.k.a the “craziest cat lady” and get to meet Goma in person. He was surprisingly elusive – I had to offer him bonito flakes to buy his affection.

Here are some photos from my vacation courtesy of Samuel Seo.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.

~ Jawaharlal Nehru

Hello Yellow!

2009-08-13T21:03:00.015-04:00

Whole Foods Market teamed up with Chef Ann Cooper aka “The Renegade Lunch Lady’’ to launch the “School Lunch Revolution” campaign – a program that aims to transform and improve cafeteria menu across American public schools. To create some excitement amongst team members, I was asked to create buttons for the campaign. Here is the button in various colors. I like all of them but the yellow button is my favorite – I just love the color combination

– which led me to create this...

“Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot;
others transform a yellow spot into the sun.”

~Pablo Picasso

Summer Posters

2009-08-11T17:20:00.011-04:00

This is one of my latest creation. It does not have the perfect layout and the typography is average but I really like the colors. I don’t normally like my work but I like this one – it just looks fun. And I like the giant echinacea that she’s holding. I have not seen an echinacea this big. I would love to have this in my garden!

And here’s and older poster from the Kids Night event, inspired by one of my favorite movies – Happy Feet. Can you tell? I don’t like it as much especially the typography. This is one of my least favorite work.

I hope you all enjoy my posters.

Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year - it brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul.

~Author Unknown

Tekko Loves Biko

2009-07-29T00:00:00.001-04:00

This was one of the photos I submitted for the cutest animal contest. Although Biko did not win, I still think he (we think it’s a he) is the cutest pet. Biko passed away a couple months from an unknown cause. It was happily playing in the garden following Tekko and all of a sudden it started limping and gasping for air. I had no idea how to save it – I could only hold him until he stopped breathing. I wish I were able to revive him... I still think of him until this day.

In memory of sweet Biko.

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restored and sorrows end.

~William Shakespeare

Duckling Chasing Dog

2009-07-28T23:01:00.001-04:00

Just Chalkin’

2009-07-27T18:00:00.007-04:00

For those who follow my blog, I am very sorry for not having frequent updates. I can’t get away from the garden especially when hummingbirds visit incessantly. Their presence is keeping me away from coming inside. I wish I could capture them on camera but they are too quick. I don’t have any paintings or photos of hummingbirds but I started working on boards again. I forgotten how much fun it was drawing on boards. I used chalk ink on all of them. I am very fortunate to be working with the WFM artists – they are some of the most talented people I know. Please check out their some of their work.

By the way, if you want hummingbirds in your garden, you can make homemade nectar. It’s a very simple recipe and I assure you, they will be visiting your garden everyday. Don’t forget the hummingbird feeder though. You can find them easily at any pet stores or wild bird centers. Here’s the recipe.

1 cup of white sugar
4 cups for water

Mix them until the sugar dissolves and voila!

Some people boil the water but I use filtered tap water.

Enjoy!

Portraits

2009-06-25T17:48:00.020-04:00

I couldn’t wait to post these precious portraits. The first one is my brother and the second one is my boyfriend. Can you see the resemblance? Pretty uncanny. These were all done by my goddaughter Ayame.

Dirk by Ayame, Age 4

Sam by Ayame, Age 4

And how can you not love this one? It’s so cute! I am always looking forward to see her artwork – they are so special.

“Untitled Piece” by Ayame, Age 4

Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.

~William Stafford

It’s All About the Blue+

2009-06-11T16:44:00.030-04:00

I have been obsessing about Blue jays for awhile. I finally saw one in our backyard two months ago – it was collecting some branches from our partly dead dogwood. So, I decided to paint a pair of blue jays but didn’t turn out the way I wanted to. I was going to throw away the painting but chose to save part of it. Here’s the part I managed to salvage– he looks a little bit blue.

And below is my apparent obsession with Charlie Harper.

“How do I get down from here,” she asks.

There were a few things I’ve learned about blue jays. For example, I did not know that blue jays are a member of the crow family or corvidae that includes ravens, rooks, jackdaws and magpies.
Furthermore, blue jays are not really blue – their vibrant blue color is a result of refraction. Once the feather is destroyed, the vibrant blue color disappears. Lastly, blue jays mimic the sound of the red-shouldered hawk when feel threatened or to deceive other birds. If you want to know more about Blue jays and other birds, visit Birdhouses 101.

I LOVE Charley Harper!

2009-06-04T19:36:00.034-04:00

I had no idea who Charley Harper was until this week. I read about him from the NWF (National Wildlife Federation) website in the Ranger Rick section while looking for new ideas for our garden. Charley Harper was known for his simplified geometric depiction of wildlife. His work is SO AMAZING! I think he is one of the most brilliant artists who has ever lived – everything he did was a masterpiece. He is now officially my favorite artist of all times. Here are some samples of his work:

Bark Eyes

Catnip

Cardinal

I also found a couple of websites that specializes in Charlie Harper prints: Charlie Harper Art Studio and The Art of Charley Harper. Enjoy!

When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don't see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.·

~ Charley Harper

Support Animal Welfare

2009-05-30T10:35:00.018-04:00

Next month AWLA and Whole Foods Market in Alexandria are teaming up for 5% Day. Each year Whole Foods Market sponsors a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization and gives 5% of its profit to a qualified charity. This year the Alexandria store is going to donate 5% of its profit to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria on Wednesday, June 10th. So, please join us and receive free treats for you and your pets!

We are also having the Cutest Pet contest and I am so excited about it; unfortunately, the contest is exclusive only to WFM Team Members. For each picture submitted, $3 will be given to AWLA and the winner will be featured in their calendar! I cannot wait to see who wins! (crosses fingers)

Goodbye Ducky

2009-05-28T19:25:00.030-04:00

A couple of days ago my sister brought a duckling to the house. Apparently it was one of the strugglers – it could not come out from its shell by itself. So she took it home and helped it hatch.

I was already sleeping when she came home but she woke me up to show me the cutest duckling. The next day my boyfriend and I went to play with it and brought it a towel to snuggle up with. After playing with the duckling he and I went out to eat , came back and visited the garden. While we were in the garden my sister came rushing out and told us that she stepped on the duckling. I thought she was joking initially and realized it was true – the duckling was no longer with us – it went to duck heaven. It was a sorrowful day for the whole family and we are still lamenting over it. Piyo Piyo (named after a very popular duck in Japan in the 80’s) was with us for only a couple of days but left an imprint on our hearts forever.

When we first got it I went online to search about baby ducks and I found this great website. There’s a lot of useful information on this site – it’s worth visiting.

“Angel-duck, angel-duck, winged and silly, Pouring a watering-pot over a lily.”

Charles Lamb

We miss you dearly.

Green Giveaways!

2009-05-08T13:55:00.012-04:00

Here’s the poster I created for “Green Goods Fest” event at WFM Old Town . When they said green I thought of a frog in the rainforest – I couldn’t really think of anything else. I just hope it grabs people’s attention. Most of my projects don’t have deadlines, which means I don’t have time to dwell on it.

If you want to learn more about what makes something “green” or you’re just curious, come join us and receive free “green” products.

“It’s not easy being green.”

~Kermit the Frog

First Flash

2009-05-06T10:58:00.014-04:00

This is what I found in my half an hour lunch break – my friend John Stephens’ first animation! You can also check some of his work here. I can’t wait to watch the next one!

Sgt. Abe the Honest Recruiter in "Check Every Line Before You Sign." from John Stephens on Vimeo.

Rain Down

2009-05-04T22:40:00.013-04:00

It has been raining for days but it hasn’t stopped me from gardening. I just planted a couple of campanulas and finished mulching my bed. I don’t mind the rain at all, I am glad it’s raining – I don’t have to water the plants for several days and gives me relief from pollen allergy. It also makes me think of this song:

If you feel downhearted cheer up, cheer up
Remember to sing and to smile
You know that the rainbow will follow the rain
So cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer up!

I learned it from elementary school and never left my mind since. I don’t remember the title or the composer but I remember the lyrics. I thought it was a great song for rainy days. Happy rainy days!

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.

~Rabindranath Tagore

The Quest

2009-04-14T19:37:00.011-04:00

I had to create a poster for an upcoming Kids Night event in May and looking for an inspiration was tough. I had a few ideas but nothing concrete. I wanted to do something easy and fast. So, I browsed the internet looking for some answers and decided to visit my blog, thinking I might find something I could use for the poster and there it was – I found the answer!

Tadaa! Here is the poster for the May event.

Remember this?

And here’s the wallpaper I created if anyone is interested feel free to download it.

This is how it looks like on the desktop:

I hope you guys enjoy it. I certainly had fun creating it.

Garden in Bloom

2009-04-13T21:52:00.019-04:00

So here’s what I’ve been spending my time on everyday - our garden. I took some photos this week so you can see what we have so far. This is the front of the yard. We are still working on moving the plants around.

Butterfly/Hummingbird/Wildlife garden in progress

Mixed perennial border

Backyard (Serviceberry in bloom)

As you can see we only have a few trees left. There used to be plenty of trees behind the fence until some business developer decided to cut down the trees to build an office building. I wish they had left a few. Below are some photos of plants that are in bloom in the garden right now.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier Canadensis)

Lovely fall color and delicious berries. Birds love them and so do I. Berries can be made into a pie or jam.

Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)

Dandelion (T. officinale subsp. vulgare)

Although considered a weed in most places, this perennial is great in salad, sautéed or steamed. They are also a vital source of nectar and pollen for the honeybees. Harvest leaves in early spring before they start flowering; also, in the fall after frost when their bitterness is gone.

Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium Purpureum)

Another misunderstood plant. This “weed” is edible and has variety of uses: astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative, styptic and tonic. It’s rich in vitamins, iron and fiber. Flowers and leaves are also used as tea.

Also in bloom are:

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Purpleleaf Sandcherry (Prunus x cistena)

Viburnum (Korean Spice Viburnum)

Spirea (Not in bloom but I thought the foliage is lovely)

Tulips and other bulbs (Anemone, Allium, Hyancinth and Daffodils - not shown)

And this is Snuggles, she oversees all the work.

“Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest.”

~Douglas William Jerrold, about Australia, A Land of Plenty

Spring Cleaning

2009-04-06T21:17:00.002-04:00

I have been spending my time in garden and not a lot of time inside. Last week, I finally had a chance to clean my room! It made me feel so much better. And I found some things that I have not seen in years: foam boards, unused nail polish set, unopened hello kitty magnetic board, headbands, and some artwork from college. Below was one of the things I found under my bed – tucked inside an envelope with some other artwork. I remember working on this the night before it was due. Perhaps I’ll try some pen and ink next time but not this elaborate.

“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”

– Therese of Lisieux

Burgeoning Garden

2009-03-31T22:35:00.007-04:00

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.”

~ Plato

I can’t believe this is my last post for the month of March and not a single painting (sigh*). I had a very busy and productive month. I am starting gardening again and just finished painting the living room. I am so excited about the garden, I can’t wait to see the plants grow. I’ll be waiting for the hummingbirds and the butterflies visit.

Ayame’s Story

2009-03-20T17:41:00.014-04:00

Art by: Samuel Seo
Art Director: Ayame Soto

This is Ayame’s idea of birthday party – a monster, an angel and a cake made of ghosts. And not to mention the boogers coming out from the monster’s nose. She is always full of wonder and stories. My favorite is about the little elephant who lives in her pocket and who is constantly attending a Food Festival. I can’t wait to hear more of her stories!

Speaking of stories, I found this cool website for kids with free audio called Storynory. I personally like picture books but for those who loves audio books, this is a pretty decent site.

Mary Had A Little Lamb

2009-03-19T20:47:00.014-04:00

Except for the sporadic coughing I am finally flu free! I haven’t done any painting since last week. Below is one of my older paintings and one of the last ones I finished last month. This was inspired by the nursery rhyme “Mary Had A Little Lamb” by Sarah Josepha Hale. The poem was based on an actual incident in Sterling Massachusetts. A girl named Mary Sawyer (later Mrs. Mary Tyler) brought her lamb to school and created a commotion. Very pleased with the incident, John Roulston, a visiting student rode his horse to the schoolhouse and handed Mary a slip of paper which had written upon it the three original stanzas of the poem. However, a different version of the story is that Hale composed the entire poem. Although Mary’s house was destroyed by arson a couple of years ago, the statue of Mary’s little lamb still stands in the town center.

Mary had a little lamb
Whose fleece as white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go!

It followed her to school one day,
which was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.

A Fine Portrait

2009-03-09T20:33:00.004-04:00

This is one of my godchildren’s drawing when he was six. He just turned 8 last Friday. I can’t believe it’s already been 2 years since I received this. I love the fact that the limbs and hair are almost the same length. This is one of my favorite portraits.

A pen and paper are all you need to create a new world.

Michelle, age 13

(Source: http://www.generationterrorists.com/quotes/kids.html)

Hello Kitty!

2009-03-06T21:20:00.005-05:00

I saw this super cute kitty on the cover of one of the magazines we received from mail – I just had to paint it. It was so irresistible. I wanted the painting to be very simple but the ink started to bleed; I did not realize that paper was still wet. I had to do something to cover the blot on her forehead and ended drawing circles everywhere. And here’s the finish product. It was a lot of fun coming up with various solutions.

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.”

Brandi Snyder

New in Newstand!

2009-03-02T16:04:00.002-05:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

We had a lot of snow today. I could not drive my car, the wheels would just spin and remained stationary. So I stayed home and checked my e-mail and browsed the internet. Then I found this site. They have over 50 magazine covers and you can print them for $14.95. You can even create your own and put a picture of your pet! I think it’s a bit expensive and I don’t know how good the resolution is. But if you want to do something creative and unique, try it. It was a lot of fun trying different covers.

Piggyback Rider

2009-03-01T19:48:00.009-05:00

I guess I don’t have to go Mexico. Thank you to both John and Ben, I learned something new. I really need to read more books – my brain needs some recharging. By the way Ben, great website!

I went to church today and I saw the cutest thing... During the service, the kids were asked to go to the classroom with their teachers to learn the scriptures. A particular little girl caught my attention because she had her sister on her back when she joined the rest the kids at the altar. An hour later when everyone came out and returned to their parents, she was still carrying her sister on her back. I thought it was very sweet. So, I went home, cleaned my room, washed my clothes and took my watercolor paper out and used the last page. And here it is!

Below is a picture of me and my sister – I was 5 and she was 3. My other sister was not born yet when this was taken. I remember this picture very well because I was looking for my belt but couldn’t find it. And I remember how much I loved my knickerbockers – I’d wear it everywhere and every day when I could.

“A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.”

Marion C. Garretty

Big Green

2009-02-24T18:43:00.007-05:00

“Up high, the flies are playing,

And frolicking, and swaying.

The frog thinks: Dance! I know

You'll end up here below.”

~Wilhelm Busch

I was looking for a quote or poem for this particular painting. So, I searched online and found this poem by Wilhem Busch in ThinkExist. I have never heard of him before but apparently he’s a very famous German caricaturist, painter and poet who is known for his work, “Max and Moritz,” a satirical picture story – the first published original foreign children’s book in Japan which was translated into romaji by Shinjiro Shibutani and Kaname Oyaizu as Wampaku monogarati (“Naughty stories”). Max and Moritz and his other stories inspired the modern comic strip.

Max und Moritz, Zeichnung von Wilhelm Busch (1832-1908),
Titelbild zu seiner gleichnamigen Erzählung

DID YOU KNOW that after 70 years, the copyright term expires? This term applies to United States, Canada and the European union. Other countries such Mexico has 100 years, Colombia has 80 years, Guatemala and Samoa has 75 years. I think I’ll move to Mexico.

My first Award!

2009-02-23T22:30:00.004-05:00

Sachan, this is really awesome! Thank you so much, you are so sweet. I’m going to post it!

Here’s the explanation:

This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY -- nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I do not know a lot of bloggers so I’ll just give them to the ones I know who are also well deserving.

Living Treasures
Metropolitan Mum
Mewsings, Felines and Other
Design Opus

Hi Mike. I’ll give it to you but you don’t have a blog. It’s nice to hear from you again.
I hope you start blogging.

Slam Dunk!

2009-02-23T21:09:00.006-05:00

My little cousin invited me to watch her game last Saturday. It was the first time I saw her play basketball. I thought she played very well even though her knee was injured. It was really exciting watching 5th graders play – they are so cute. Here are some snapshots from the videos my boyfriend took. That’s her with the ball. I used to babysit her when she was 3 months old, now she’s almost as tall as I am. I still can’t believe it!

When it rains, it pours

2009-02-20T17:21:00.008-05:00

I am so excited, I have two pages left of watercolor paper. I can’t wait to buy a new one! I don’t like the one I am currently using. It’s only 90 lb. I prefer 140 lb – it’s heavier and absorbs water better.

Yesterday I was trying to be “creative”... I started out with a couple of characters and ended up with more than 30! I did not like the outcome but it was fun just drawing random images. I thought I created some pretty unique ones. I could probably use some of them in my next painting.

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.”

Sweet Spy

2009-02-17T23:12:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon this website while browsing the internet. I don’t remember what I was looking for but even if you were not a fan of sweet things (like I am), you’d find yourself eating one once you finish viewing this site. It’s called Cakespy. Check it out and you’ll see what I’m taking about.

The Loyal Horse

2009-02-13T17:11:00.007-05:00

I really love seahorses. I thought to paint one this week but I ended up with two. I didn’t like the first one so I painted a second one. Here’s my first attempt. It took me more than two hours to finish it – I must have used more than 3 coats of watercolor but still did not like it.

This was my second attempt. I like this one better and the colors were less obtrusive.

The Romantic Seahorse

Seahorses are a type of fish related to pipefish. Unlike most fish, these equine shaped creatures are monogamous. Not only they are loyal, a male seahorse also carry the female’s eggs in its pouch and only release them when fully formed. How romantic!

For more facts about Seahorses visit National Geographic.

Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold.

~Zelda Fitzgerald

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Framed

2009-02-11T19:45:00.003-05:00

I don’t know what happened. I think I clicked “publish post” accidentally...

I went to Michael’s last week to buy some frames. They were 50% off and I bought three. Even with 50% discount they’re still pretty pricey. I don’t know how often they put the frames on sale but this month it was up for a week and ended last Saturday. I’m sure there’s a way of knowing when the next sale is – I just have to find out.

My bedroom wall is filled with artwork besides my own. But I took some photos of my framed paintings today. I had to position them on the floor.

Above is the first frame I purchased. It was not on sale but I bought it anyway.

The wooden frame above was given to me by my previous boss.

I’m going to keep buying frames until I have all of my paintings framed. Perhaps one day I’ll open an art gallery (hahaha).

Gung Hay Fat Choy -農曆新年

2009-02-10T18:56:00.012-05:00

I had a very busy week. I was going to paint today but I had to do some errands. So, last week I went to a Chinese New Year party with my classmates from kung fu class. The music was loud, the restaurant was very crowded, and the food was delicious! This was probably my third year attending the party but I always have so much fun.

This year is year of the Ox. According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Ox symbolizes prosperity. Those who are born under the influence of Ox are fortunate to be stable and persevering. I found this photo online from Daily Planet – I thought it was so adorable. This photograph was taken by Robert of Fairfax.

And here are some photos from the Chinese New Year celebration.

Here’s the stage where everyone goes up to sing karaoke.

The class photograph. The kids don’t look too happy to be photographed and that’s Sifu in the middle.

I’m going to upload more photos this week in Yang’s Kung Fu blog. It has been two months since updated it. Don’t forget to check them out!

Giant Pandamonium

2009-02-01T14:14:00.007-05:00

I always wanted to learn calligraphy so I bought a calligraphy set years ago and It has been sitting in my room ever since. I must have used it once but I don’t remember what I used it for. Last week, I was contemplating on painting a Giant Panda; so, I did. I wanted to try a different medium then I remember my calligraphy set.

I honestly didn’t know what I was doing. I thought I would use it like I would use a watercolor. Then I decided to add some colors to make it more interesting and ended up using acrylic on her dress. This painting took a little bit longer than usual because of my indecisiveness but I thought it turned out fine.

Panda Facts:
Large Bear-Cats aka Giant Pandas
(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Contrary to their size, giant pandas are about the size of a stick of butter when they are born and don’t develop their unique coloring until later. Pandas are born blind and cannot crawl until three months of age. Although technically carnivores, they adapted to live mostly on bamboo which is 99% of their diet and occasionally feast on small rodents or musk deer fawns. Pandas consume about 28 pounds of bamboo and spend up to 16 hours eating. There are only 1000 pandas in the wild and just over 100 in captivity. For more information about Giant Pandas visit National Geographic.

Klimt Revisited

2009-01-29T18:33:00.006-05:00

I’m so excited to be painting again – the long hiatus has temporarily ended. This week I was able to finish two! Last year my goal was to finish one painting a week. I’m not going to stop painting until I paint all the animals in the world (if that’s possible)!

I felt a little adventurous this week. I tried experimenting with colors and patterns. I also attempted mixing watercolor and acrylic. I went a little crazy with the painting and perhaps a little overboard but I really enjoyed it.

This painting was inspired by Gustav Klimt’s “Der Kuss’’ or “The Kiss.” I really love the colors he used. I cannot wait to post my other painting.

But before I sign off, here are some interesting facts about elephants:

Did you know?

Elephants cry, play, have incredible memories, and laugh!
Elephants are sensitive fellow animals where if a baby complains, the entire family will rumble and go over to touch and caress it.
Elephants have greeting ceremonies when a friend that has been away for some time returns to the group.
Elephants grieve at a loss of a stillborn baby, a family member, and in many cases other elephants.

Source: http://elephant.elehost.com/About_Elephants/about_elephants.htm

Whether sad, angry, distressed, eager, or playful, elephants are this in a big way

– Joyce Poole

Weekend In Philly

2009-01-27T09:15:00.008-05:00

I went to Philadelphia this weekend and visited Magic Gardens. It was the first time I’ve seen a building covered in mosaic out of broken mirrors, ceramics, bicycle spokes and among other things – it was pretty amazing. I couldn’t imagine covering my room in broken bottles or ceramic shards – it would take me months before I could finish one wall but Isaiah Zagar covered an entire building! He began tiling South Street in the 1960’s and made it into a “labyrinth mosaic museum.” Below are some of the photos I’ve taken inside and outside the Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens:

The museum is not free, you have to pay $3 to get in. Magic Gardens is nonprofit organization formed by artists and community members to promote and preserve the legacy of Isaiah Zagar.

A very late Christmas

2009-01-23T08:48:00.005-05:00

Nine-tailed Fox by Dang, Age 10

One of the best things in going to Kung Fu class is seeing all my classmates - we have a very diverse class. Going to class is like going to a second home - everyone is just so nice.

The illustration above is a very late Christmas present from one of my classmates who loves Naruto. He talks about Naruto all the time. I watched a few episodes with my little brother back then so I knew the synopsis. I did not have the chance to thank him personally since I missed a few classes. It was my brother who gave me the drawings. When I came home, they were on my bed. I think I'm going to paint him Naruto.

More drawings from Dang.

And I decided to change the umbrella in my previous painting. I think it looks more interesting.

Butterfly Paradise

2009-01-17T12:59:00.006-05:00

I can’t believe I finally finished painting! I wanted to finish soon but I just didn’t have enough time. I had to miss 2 kung fu classes – I hate not being able to go to school.

I am so excited to post my pictures online. It has been a long arduous week and I’m glad it’s over. I was browsing online a while ago and I saw this little girl holding a white umbrella. I really like the picture so I did a sketch but never gone back to it until now. It has been 3 months since I worked on it. Here’s my sketch:

I don’t have a studio – I do pretty much everything in my room. I placed all my supplies next to my bookcase. So this is what I’ve been doing in the past few days.

I really enjoy gardens and everything about it – I think it’s magical. I added transparent butterflies in the background. Perhaps when butterflies die they’re still in the garden. Here’s a more close-up look.

Rat loves cat!

2009-01-07T17:58:00.001-05:00

This is the sweetest video ever. I wish our cats were like this. I love them!

Portrait by Ayame

2009-01-06T19:24:00.004-05:00

Aunt Cat by Ayame, Age 4

I miss painting. I haven’t done any watercolor painting lately. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to finish my painting that I started several months ago. I have not touched it since I began using watercolor. I really want to finish it before the end of this month, hopefully this week. I already started coloring the face but it still lacks something...I am going to work on it this weekend. I’ll post it once it’s done.

I do have this really nice drawing from my godchild, Ayame – she came over for New Year’s eve. She loves to draw so I gave her some paper and colored pencils. This is one of her drawings. I hope to see her again so I can give her some seeds to plant for her butterflies (she told me they need some food.) I’ll post some more of her drawings next time.

LOOK SACHAN...

2009-01-02T21:03:00.010-05:00

My first book! I couldn’t believe I completed a book in two nights. Of course I already had the pictures but writing it was very challenging. I haven’t written a book before and I only had a couple days to do it. I wanted to have the book by the 24th so I could give it to my boyfriend on Christmas day but the book arrived four days later. I was pretty disappointed with FEDEX but I was happy with the book.

Note: This book is not available anywhere. Although you can make your own book and publish it in Blurb.

Sachan, pre-Goma - 8 years ago

I couldn’t have done it without Sachan bugging me to write a book. She even gave me the link and “forced” me to blog (Thanks this is actually fun!). Seriously, I do want to thank Sachan for always egging me on to do things; even though, she’s a hundred miles away. I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Japan and I hope you like the book. See you soon! XOXO

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T13:02:00.002-05:00

My last painting for 2008. I hope you all enjoyed your New Year!

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

William Arthur Ward

Bear Essentials

2008-12-30T17:57:00.009-05:00

Bears are very popular with kids especially Teddy Bears. Although I didn’t own one, I still think they are very cute. I played mostly with puzzles and mechanical toys (especially robots). But did you know that Teddy Bear is originally called Teddy’s bear? The name came from America’s 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt.

When President Theodore Roosevelt went on a hunting trip to Mississippi, to which he was invited by Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino, he was asked to shoot an American Black Bear. There were several hunters competing and most of them had already shot something. So they called Roosevelt to the site and instructed to kill the bear, which Holt Collier and Roosevelt’s attendants had tied to a willow tree after being cornered and clubbed. Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear but asked that the bear be killed to end its suffering. This incident
became the topic of a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. The adult black bear cartoon was initially lassoed by a white handler but later Berryman made the bear cuter and smaller. When Morris Michton saw the drawing of Roosevelt and the bear cub, he was inspired and created a new toy – a stuffed bear cub. After sending the bear to Roosevelt and receiving permission to sell them, he put them in his shop window with a sign that read “Teddy’s Bear.” The toys became an immediate success, which led Michton to open the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. in 1907 that still exists today.

BEAR SPECIES:

Black Bear, Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Asiatic Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Spectacled Bear, Sun Bear, and the famous Giant Panda.

MYTH: Giant Pandas are Raccoons!

The Giant Panda is one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. For many years, it was believed to be a type of racoon, like the similarly named red panda. However, genetics testing and observation have revealed that the panda is in fact, a bear. It has only been since 1995 that the Panda has been officially considered a bear.

Source: http://www.bears.org

New Year Calendar

2008-12-28T11:28:00.006-05:00

I finally finished my calendar! I’ve been working on it for several weeks. I didn’t think I could complete it before Christmas but I did it! I was so happy with the outcome and it was a hit in my family. I only ordered 5 calendars but everyone wants one so I have to order more. If anyone wants to check it out just visit my gallery. This was supposed to be just a one time thing but a lot of people seem to like my paintings. I was quite surprised and very thankful for all the comments. I think I’m going to add more. However, no new paintings this week. I do have a couple of paintings that I haven’t posted. I couldn’t post them until the calendar was done. But now that I have the calendar, I can share them with everyone (yatta!)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-24T18:51:00.004-05:00

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Future Artists!

2008-12-19T19:38:00.005-05:00

I am so excited today! This is so far the best day for me this week. I have been working incessantly creating Christmas presents – sleeping 5 hours every day. And I’m still not done shopping. I am exhausted...

So today I checked my second e-mail account and there’s a new mail (yay!). For the past 3 months, I’ve only gotten 3 and they’re all from the sites I’ve signed up with. I proceeded to open it and it was from my cousin. She attached not one but three paintings of her students!

The first painting is from Lil. She used sponge, paintbrush and watercolor. She’s quite adventurous.

The second one is from Isa. She used sponge and watercolor.

And last but not the least is from Allie who used paintbrush and watercolor.

These were all painted on oslo paper by second grade students. The project was called “Invisible Painting.” The lesson was about porous (permeable) and non-porous (nonpermeable) materials. The students had to use white candle instead of white crayon and then paint watercolor over it. I thought it was a fantastic lesson. Great job Balot! And thank you for the paintings.

Landscaping for squirrels

2008-12-12T21:54:00.007-05:00

My boyfriend and I bought rocks for the garden. They were dropped off today by a mother and son who own a small nursery. Apparently they’ve been up since 3 am driving around and dropping off things to different houses. Then, we started discussing landscaping and he said “what if you had animals as your clients?” So, I thought, what would you ask squirrels if they were your clients? They don’t “own” a garden but they pretty much live in your yard.

Squirrels love Nuttal oak (Quercus nuttallii), which are also called Red oak, Red River oak and Pin oak. Nuttal oak is a bottom land species that grows along Gulf Coast Plain from Florida to west southeastern Texas. This fast-growing, water tolerant oak is a great choice for poorly drained soil such as clay. Like most oaks, acorn production is heaviest every four to seven years, known as mast year. Squirrels populations vary between these years – they are influenced greatly by the fall mast crop. A good mast production means excellent breeding conditions and healthier young. It is important to wisely manage your backyard if squirrels and other hardwood dependent wildlife is among your priorities.

Tween Wolves

2008-12-11T21:09:00.004-05:00

I finally finished my painting! This is the first time I used mixed media. I didn’t like the dark trees in the back so I painted over it with white acrylic and used watercolor on top. I think it looks much better than what I had initially.

There’s one thing that I didn’t mention in my older post regarding wolves. Do you know how you can tell they’re friendly? Wolves roll over and show their bellies! hahaha. This information should be in kittybellys site. They also put their paws down and wag their tail when they want to play (so cute!). But when they are agitated and want to fight, they start growling and show their fangs. And put their ears back and lay down when they are done. They are indeed fascinating.

The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake.”
Leonardo da Vinci

SMALL DOSES OF WONDER

Dandy Lion

(Re)Solutions

Elephantastic Cards

Happy Halloween

Out with the Old, In with the New!

Show and Tell

Mushroom Madness

Shumai Love

The Vine that Ate the South

Raining Elephants

Dreaming of Sleep

Flashy

Happy Summer!

Forks Over Knives Premiere

Spring Garden

Book Project

Postcards for Red Cross Approved!

Happy Earth Day!

“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”~Native American Proverb

Little Healthy Eaters

Groundhog Day

Happy Spring!

Zazzle for Japan Relief

Hope for Japan

Old and New

The Music Video

Just Dance!

The Plum and Orange story

Ramen

101 Post!

Lost Art

Alluring Angler

Happy Bunny Year!

The Little Pop Artist

A Very Late Christmas and a Happy New Year!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall Into Colors!

My Greatest Accomplishment!

Color Coordinated

Trip To NYC

Dance Uncensored

Payday!

Y Must I Go To NYC?

Gnat Again!

Sunshine on Paper

Influenced By Hamsters

All The Single Ladies

Birthday Card

CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY ENGAGEMENT!

Replacement

Belated Hearts Day!

Hot Cocoa Weather

Reusable Bag Design

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bonjour et Bonne Journée Canada

Hello Yellow!

Summer Posters

Tekko Loves Biko

Duckling Chasing Dog

Just Chalkin’

Portraits

It’s All About the Blue+

I LOVE Charley Harper!

Support Animal Welfare

Goodbye Ducky

Green Giveaways!

First Flash

Rain Down

The Quest

Garden in Bloom

Spring Cleaning

Burgeoning Garden

Ayame’s Story

Mary Had A Little Lamb

A Fine Portrait

Hello Kitty!

New in Newstand!

Piggyback Rider

“A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.”

“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”
~Native American Proverb