What's in My Sketchbook?

A sketch which I worked from one of the random photos and combines my love of all things British and Dr Martens ... :)

What’s interesting about this sketch is you can view it this way …

Or this way…

The sketch is also for Paint Party Friday (hosted by Eva and Kristin).  All are welcomed!  Do join in to share and support each other!

Cheers and have a fantastic weekend!

(Sorry for the poor photo! Though I took it on a bright sunny day, it came out a bit dull ...)

House Plants

After I wrote about the Stone Lotus I got a couple of weeks ago, it got me thinking of the various house plants I got at home.

Black Prince (Echeveria Black Prince)

Pink Jelly Bean (Sedum Rubrotinctum 'Aurora')

Stone Lotus (which I renamed from the commonly known 'Hens & Chicks', Echeveria Elegans)

And the more 'exotic' types of leaves and flowers ... ;)

So you see how the hybrid mind is working to pick the house plants ... well basically anything which bear the resemblance of a plant! Hahaha!

What about you, my fellow creatives and bloggers?  Love to see your versions of house plants.

Cheers and have a wonderful day!

(If you're interested in watercolor medium, pls read my below post re Alisa Burke's new online class - Watercolor Bliss!)

Alisa Burke's New Online Class - Watercolor Bliss

Yay ..... Yippppppeee .... Lalalalala .... !!!

Alisa will be hosting another new online class on 06/06 and it is for Watercolor.  You guys must know by now how much I had enjoyed Alisa's classes.  And honestly, if it wasn't for her sketchbook class, I won't be this diligent in keeping my sketching routine.  She's also inspired me to practice with watercolor.  So I'm definitely doing this class. Do come and join in, it would be great fun!

Registration will start on next Mon (02/05) and here is the link for information about it!

Hope to see you there! :D 

Easter Break

I'm taking a Easter break ...

so just a short one to wish my fellow creatives and bloggers a

HAPPY EASTER

have a wonderful holiday and Drive Safe!

(Sketchbook page to come next Fri ... :D)

My Life and Creative Fundamentals

For Life:  Live within your means (a skill which I'm still perfecting ;)

For Creativity:  There is never the perfect time / place / tools / mood to start a project.  Pick up the tools available and do it now!

For Life:  Expect the Unexpected

For Creativity:  Relax and enjoy

For Life:  Keep your chin up and smile, cos Life is BRILLIANT!

For Creativity:  Keep your hands moving

P.S. I didn't make those lovely cards with the quotes.  They're cards which I bought from Myers Dept Store years and years ago.  And whoever made it, you have my gratitude! :)

What's in My Sketchbook?

If you’ve read my trivia post last week, I mentioned that drawing and painting had turned my life upside down (No. 45).

Here is an example:  I bought some Corella Pear to draw and paint!

Alright, you might scratch your head and wondering if I’m being a drama queen here.  Maybe.  But let me tell you this:  When it comes to fruit, I’m very particular.  The fruit needs to fulfill these criteria:

1)  Has to be sweet

2)  Not too soft, not too crunchy

3)  No preparation is required (i.e. no peeling, no cutting etc.)

(O.K. I’m a drama queen in the fruit eating department!)

So it was a surprise when I found myself standing in front of the fruit section at the supermarket staring at the Corella pears.  But more shockingly, I started to ooohs and ahhhhs all over the pears. I must look like an idiot to my fellow shoppers.  But the Corella pears were just too beautiful to walk away.  And here is the sketch of it.

As much as I was bewitched by the vibrant colors of the pears, I think I had failed to capture it on paper.  Plus I don’t think the elements, like the colors, composition etc, worked together.  Actually, the sketch sort of looked boring to me.  But then I remember that I’m still learning and practice.  It’s o.k. to make mistake.

So my fellow creatives and bloggers, any ideas how I could improve it the next time? 

The sketch is also for Paint Party Friday (hosted by Eva and Kristin).  All are welcomed!  Do join in to share and support each other!

Cheers and have a fantastic weekend!

P.S.  I read somewhere (but forgot to copy the link) that Corella Pears are named after the colourful Australian Corella parrot.

A Splendid Afternoon

A visit to the Gustave Moreau Exhibition at NGV (National Gallery Victoria).

On the way I discovered a pool of golden leaves ...

and underwater treasures (gold coins!)

The perfect way to wrap up the afternoon - beautifully decorated and delicious chocolate cake ...

What's in My Sketchbook?

Growing up as a city girl, I never develop a passion to gardening.  The few times that I owned a plant, I either over-watered it or let it all dried up.  It's only fair to say that I'm a typical plant killer.

Though I had promised myself I'll never keep a plant again (not eve a cactus, well especially a cactus, it was my 1st kill!), the creative need propels me to face my fear. ;)

I bought a small pot of Hens and Chicks (Echeveria Elegans) a week ago to draw / paint.  Here is a sketch of the Hen's "feather" together with one of my all time favorite drawing objects - rocks.

Now that I've broken my promise, I'm hoping that the hardiness of the succulents would help it to survive under my care.  (May the force be with it!)

The sketch is also for Paint Party Friday (hosted by Eva and Kristin).  All are welcomed!  Do join in to share and support each other!

Cheers and have a wonderful weekend!

BTW, I've re-named the plant "Stone Lotus" as it suits the look of it more.  (Crap!  I think I just made myself the biggest dork in this part of the world! Hahaha!)

Hybrid J Trivia 2011

Back to April 2009, I had posted Hybrid J Trivia on my side bar and then forgotten all about it.  It was only til Kathyrn of Angelself (fellow participant of the Paint Party Friday) mentioned that she also liked Sashimi and Chai Latte.  I realized that people did read it.  So I think I'll write up a 2011 version. ;)

(in no particular order)

30)  Continued from last entry 29) I'm still addicted to Chai Latte.

31)  Zentangle inspired me to learn to draw and paint.

32)  I collected Artists' Links on my sidebar.  Do check them out!

33)  Currently I'm crazy about steel gray and charcoal gray.

34)  The sound of violin always makes me cry.

35)  I enjoy "swearing" in private and among close friends, a lot.

36)  I think I have a rather overactive mind.  (Note:  It is different to an imaginative mind. Hahaha!)

37)  I truly believe that I have great potential to be a good nature sociopath.  Ahem ... if such personality trait exists at all?!  But what the heck, I'm Hybrid, I'm the first of my kind!

38)  I love Sherlock Holmes movie (Robert Downey Jr.), TV series (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the book (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).

39)  I was't into Comic when I was young, but now ...

40)  (Update of 28) I finally got a mobile phone with a camera (of 2.0 megapixel). ;)

41)  (Update of 27) I still don't have an iPod, but finally got a big LCD/LED TV last month.  YAY!!!! (I feel so up-to-date now!)

42)  I used to buy into everything Trinny and Susannah said about fashion, but now, I just wear what I want.

43)  It seems like I could never outgrow my passion of Dr Martens.

44)  Grow old but NEVER grow up.

45)  Drawing and painting turn my life upside down, in a good way!

46)  (Update of 8) Pepper is 14 years old now.  And he's 1/4 blind and 1/2 deaf but continues to behave like a puppy.

47)  Hard work and perseverance is far more important than talent.

48)  I have a gigantic soft spot of everything British.

49)  I have problem relating to my own age group but always feel an affinity to those who are (on average) 15 years younger than me.  Go figure!

50)  I miss my Dr Who (David Tenant)!

51)  I fall for every TV & movie adaptation of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens' novels.

52)  I've been watching Stargate (SG 1) TV series re-run for ages ...

53)  I'm practicing, as much as I could, to live a simple life.

54)  I'm not a social person.

55)  Solitude is like air and water to me.

56)  I seldom remember my dreams.

57)  Regret is a total waste of time and energy.

58)  Out of all the meal time, I love afternoon tea time the most.

Now, what about you, my dear fellow creatives and bloggers?  How about sharing some of your trivia as well.

Have a lovely day!

What's in My Sketchbook?

I got a nifty point and shot camera about 2 weeks ago. It was a Canon IXUS 115 HS. I so love "the little bugger" (yes, that's what I call my camera. I'm such a dork!) that I made a sketch of it!

The little bugger is very handy and takes great photos. (I mean in the hands of an amateur like me.) It reminded me of a time when I used to take lots of photos of pebbles, stones and what not.

I'm beginning to feel that the little bugger is changing my creative life.

[*KnocK* *KnocK*] Did you hear that? I think it's little bugger's Big Brother coming for a visit ... or may be a stay. ;)

The sketch is also for Paint Party Friday (hosted by Eva and Kristin). All are welcomed! Do join in to share and support each other!

Cheers and have a fantastic weekend!