Up, Up, and Away!

Works of art such as these never cease to amaze me.

I saw this one at the dental clinic last January.

It reminded me of this awesome piece I saw at a Makati gallery back in 2006.
(A Snoopy-loving officemate who shares my birthday was able to get some pictures of this tree for me before the artwork disappeared from the gallery.)

Coffee to Go

MyGirl has been practicing her coffee designs.

She often comes home from work 

and tells me that she made a beautiful coffee.

She then relays that she didn't have a chance to take a photo.

When I picked her up today, she was so excited as she showed me the below photo.

I was able to take a photo, she said, because the customer ordered coffee

then went to the toilet.

So MyGirl can now make good coffee as well as pretty coffee.

Angel Place

I finally discovered hangs along Angel Place.

Forgotten Songs is what the artwork of birdcages is called.

It commemorates the songs of fifty birds once heard in Central Sydney.

Popping All Over Sydney

Last month, there were a lot of posters around the city.

They kept on reminding me ...

Pop!

Pop!

Pop! Pop!

Just gotta love art.

As Andy Warhol says, "Art is what you can get away with."

Pop to Popism : Read More About It

Works of Art

I had seen the works of Simon Beck (snow) and Andres Amador (sand) on FaceBook and shared them on my page.   I find their artwork simply amazing.    [Click on the artist's names to see their work.]  

I wonder how these artists feel when their masterpieces are trampled over, covered, ruined, or washed away.  In spite the inevitability of destruction, they persevere and start anew.  They don't quit making works of art, they just keep on doing it.   They create because they love what they do and want to share this with the rest of the world.    They have a vision and they make it happen.  And while it there, it is perfect.

I guess that is the same way God feels about us.  Each of us is His work of art.  Each one created the way God planned.  And in spite our faults and failures, we are still loved.  

I don't know if it is because Lent is approaching, but I was reminded of this poem.   

MASTER WEAVER'S PLAN

My life is but a weaving
Between the Lord and me;
I may not choose the colors–
He knows what they should be.

For He can view the pattern
Upon the upper side
While I can see it only
On this, the under side.

Sometimes He weaves in sorrow,
Which seems so strange to me;
But I will trust His judgment
And work on faithfully.

‘Tis He who fills the shuttle,
And He knows what is best;
So I shall weave in earnest,
And leave to Him the rest.

Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needed
In the Weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

~ Benjamin Malachi Franklin

Fore-Edge Painting

There was a time that ad-cubes became quite popular as give-aways during Christmastime. As children whose usual source of paper was limited to school notebooks and various sizes of pad paper, the possession of an ad-cube represented an almost unimaginable wealth of paper.   (The reams of coupon bond in our supplies cabinet were reserved for "official use" only.  Those were not for drawing or playing unless one side had been used and the sheet had subsequently been declared as scratch paper.) 

One of the things we would do with ad-cubes would be to make flip books or make big drawings on the sides while the pad was slightly tilted so they sort of shrank when the pad was realigned.  I was never really good at either but it was still lots of fun.

RD knows I go for these sort of interesting things so he introduced me to fore-edge painting.  Apparently it was quite popular in the 19th century and a lot of books still exist with these secret hidden within their pages.

I wonder how they managed to work their magic during the early stages of this art.  This is how they CAN make it today.

This one shows the artist's painting skills. 


Check out this entry from Colossal which has a lot of  great samples of fore-edge painting plus some nice youtube links.

Cast Off!

I had library books I wanted to return today. One of them was the latest knitting book I had borrowed. I used that book to figure out how to shift from one ball of yarn to the next. I had reached the end of my second ball of yarn but I hadn't figured out how to cast off yet.

I had read and re-read the instructions but I couldn't figure out the instructions in the book on how to cast off. I decided that since I wanted to return the book, I may as well TRY to finish off the scarf and cast off.

I attempted to follow the instructions but it didn't look like it was going to work. I was afraid the whole thing would unravel.

"I don't know how to cast off!" I shouted in frustration.

It was MyGirl to the rescue.

"I think I know what to do, Mom," she said calmly.

I re-opened the book to the page with the instructions. She looked them over then she told me that the yarn went here, the needle went there, shift the yarn over and get the needle through.

"There, Mom," she smiled, "one stitch has already been cast off."

I repeated the process and before we knew it, I managed to get the knitting needles free and the scarf was completed.

Hurrah!!!

Of course now it is getting quite warm that the only place one would put a scarf is in storage.

I needed photos for this post and MyGirl wanted to see what the new clip I bought her looked like in her hair. So, I figured I could hit two birds with one stone -- have her model the scarf as I took pictures of her hair.

Here is MyGirl wearing the scarf.

And for MyGirl's viewing pleasure, this is what her hair looked like.,

Wrap Me Up

03 September -- the scarf is as tall as MyGirl

04 September -- I've managed to get more knitting done overnight

GI had taken the pictures of me and MyGirl.

05 September -- I ran out of yarn!

Below are pictures taken by MacGyver.

Here I am with RD.

This one is with GI taken on the day after his birthday.

GI didn't want to share the 'spotlight' with his brother. And I quote, "MyGirl had her picture taken alone with you. Why does RD have to be in the picture with me?"

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like ...

It's beginning to look a lot like a SCARF!

Yes, I am almost at the end of my ball of yarn. My knitted work is about 42 inches now. When I took the picture below last Thursday morning, it was approximately 30 inches. There were over 200 ridges (one ridge = a pair of knitted rows) and 34 stitches per row. (I started off with 35 but I lost one along the way.)

Unfortunately, this is not even one half the length of what a regular scarf would be. That means aside from learning how to cast on (Lesson 1) and how to do the knit stitch (Lesson 2), I would also have to figure out what to do when I run out of yarn.

All the while I thought that to complete this project, the only other thing I would have to learn was how to cast off. But NOOOO! It seems a new project and learning the purl stitch would have to wait.

So I have to do Lesson 3 (how to change from one yarn to the next) then a whole lot of Lesson 2 (knit! knit! knit!) before I go to Lesson 4 (casting off).

It's a good thing I like the way the colours of my yarn change and that I had gotten two balls of yarn last year -- one for me and another for MyGirl.

MyGirl gladly donated her ball of yarn since she decided to work on a mini-project using some green yarn we had gotten for one of her school projects. (Thanks, MyGirl!)

Multi-Tasking in This Lifetime

Last year, I bought knitting needles and spools of yarn in June. I had high hopes of getting a scarf or a beanie going by the end of winter. Winter is from June to August. I thought that I would be able to come up with something decent in three months time.

In my blog post Knit and Purl I wrote about my intention of finishing a 5"x5" square.

What was I thinking?!! I must have been dreaming.

I managed to get the first 5" out of the way. I had gone through the motions of casting on the required number of stitches.

I knitted a couple of rows ... literally.

The stitches were uneven. It didn't look nice. I didn't like them. (MyGirl's work was heaps better than mine.)

My knitted work looked wonky (if there is such a word) and I was not happy, not happy at all.

I didn't even get to 5" x 1". I stashed the yarn and the needles away.

That was last year.

About a month ago, my sister-in-law's sister-in-law (did you get that?) enrolled in a knitting class. She was the beginner in the class but when I saw her work, I was quite impressed. And that was just after ONE class.

I asked myself -- Do I have hope? Dare I imagine that I can actually knit something decent?

YES! Of course there is hope. One must NEVER lose hope.

I borrowed a couple of knitting books again from the library. (But I also borrowed a whole stack of other books which I ended up reading, leaving the knitting books in the library bag until I had to renew them.)

Yes, I dug up the knitting needles and the yarn but they sat stationary beside the library bag.

That was about three weeks ago.

A couple of days ago, on the bus on my way to the office, I sat beside this lady who was knitting a scarf. She had already gone through several colour changes and was working on rows of beige. I noted her nimble fingers and her even stitches. I noted that her yarn was much thicker than the one I had at home. She was knitting all the way from Castle Hill to Sydney while listening to her MP3 player.

It was a sign. Time to open the book and get the knitting needles to do some crossing.

After dinner on Friday, MyGirl helped me figure out the steps on how to knit. She had to show me how to cast on several times before I was able to get the hang of it. I decided I wouldn't go for an ambitious 5" this time. I didn't even count how many stitches I had cast on. I just decided to stop at a certain point and go for the second row.

I tried to mimic the way the lady on the bus was holding her yarn. I checked some sites in youtube to see how things were supposed to be done. I couldn't replicate the way the lady on the bus wound the yarn around her fingers. I decided as long as the stitches looked decent, I would be happy.

I think I managed to finish five or six rows that evening. It looked nice. I was happy.

While I was knitting, RD handed me over the book Catching Fire which he had borrow from his friend. This book is the second in Suzanne Collins's trilogy. RD had borrowed the first book, The Hunger Games, from his school library some time back after I had told him that I wanted to read them but the copies in the public library were always on reserve.

Oh boy, what is one to do? Knit or read? Read or knit?

I decided why not do both?

So after I ironed the clothes on Saturday, I sat myself down in the living room with my knitting stuff on my lap and the book on the floor.

Here is my knitting at page 246.

Here it is at page 369.

I honestly didn't think I would find myself knitting in this lifetime.

I have absolutely no idea how long it will take to knit this whole ball of yarn. I also don't know how long the end product (eventually a scarf?) will be.

I do know that this labour of love, finished or unfinished, will forever be treasured as my first (and fingers crossed, not only) knitted piece.

I know I am two winters too late, but God willing, I will have more winters to go.

Give Me a Hand

I finished the book and I completed all thirty lessons by 03 August.

So the author WAS right ... you CAN draw in 30 days.

Don't you think MyGirl and I deserved a big hand?

LESSON 30: YOUR HAND OF CREATIVITY

MyGirl's hand ...

my hand ...

(Of course, even after those thirty lessons, I still don't know for sure if I can draw a decent house, airplane and donut/bagel.)

Small Circle, Small Circle, BIG Circle

Aside from the straight lines, I also thoroughly enjoyed drawing the spheres.

I was quite impressed when I was able to get some texture in the Advanced Level Spheres lesson. I never imagined that a bunch of spiky and squiggly lines could provide such effects.

When we were small, we would draw bears using the song, 'small circle, small circle, big circle (that would make the face of the bear where the small circles were the eyes and the big circle going around the two small circles made the face), six times six, six times six ... thirty six (that would make the arms and then legs of the bear where the first two sixes made the arms and the last two would make the legs)'. It didn't make for a very impressive bear, but it did remind you what six times six was equal to (plus it got a big laugh from RD when I showed him the bear that came with the "song").

Below is the koala from Lesson 8. I surprised myself. I think I've come a long way from the small circle, small circle, big circle bear.

14 August Addendum : RD searched this up for me since the bear I drew was seriously pathetic.

Below is the more complete version of the song. It makes more sense, too.

small circle, small circle big circle (eyes and face)

small circle, small circle big circle (two small holes and a bigger circle to make up the snout)

this is the boat we're going to ride on (a smiling mouth)

here's mama, here's papa (half circles for ears) waving goodbye (make small half circles inside each ear

six times six (one six and an opposite facing six to make the arms) is thirty six (fingers on the hand)
six times six (one six and an opposite facing one) makes magic (the ^ that connects these sixes)

July Journey

MyGirl and I started our drawing journey on the 03 July. We figured we'd be able to finish all thirty lessons before the library book was due. MyGirl was able to finish all the lessons by the end of July. I needed up to 03 August to complete the thirty lessons.

Below are the sketches I am particularly proud of.

The Rose was Lesson 9. This was drawn on 08 July, meaning we'd managed to squeeze in nine lessons in just five days.

The Lily was Lesson 14. This is my bonus challenge sketch. The core lesson was to draw a single lily.

Lesson 16: The Wave, surprised me. It looks so pretty and I actually sketched this. Can you believe it?

Based on the date, I was already one day late on my lessons by this time. MyGirl was still on track, and possibly ahead already, but I didn't mind. I was just happy to draw.

The Rippling Flag bonus challenge of Lesson 17. These started off as five cylinders, can you imagine?

Beauty in the simplicity of Lesson 23 : A City in One Point Perspective.

I love perspective. I had a book on perspective back in Manila but I never really sat down and drew. So, in spite the fact that this sketch is just a combination of straight lines, I still love it.

Moving right along, we see A Castle in Two Point Perspective c/o Lesson 25. This was drawn on 27 July, by this time, I was already two days delayed in my lessons!

I needed a couple of extra days to finish my last drawing. The book had already been renewed once meaning I would have to return it unless I wanted to pay a fine.

As mentioned, MyGirl was already done by the end of July. When I checked my mail on 03 August before going to work, I found a library notice reminding me that the book was due on the 4th. I forwarded the library notice to MyGirl with a message saying "Oh no!!!!! I have draw tonight!" On my way back from work, I found this encouraging reply from MyGirl, "Draw! Draw! Draw!"

Lessons 21 to 30

These are MyGirl's other sketches. As you will see, MyGirl has got talent.

Lesson 21 - Trees

Lesson 22 - A Room in One-Point Perspective

Lesson 23 - A City in One-Point Perspective

Lesson 24 - A Tower in Two-Point Perspective

Lesson 25 - A Castle in Two-Point Perspective

Lesson 26 - A City in Two-Point Perspective

Lesson 27 - Lettering in Two-Point Perspective

Lesson 28 - The Human Face

Lesson 29 - The Human Eye of Inspiration

Lesson 30 - Your Hand of Creativity!

Lessons 11 to 20

The second set of MyGirl's sketches.

Lesson 11 - Advanced Level Cylinders

Lesson 12 - Constructing with Cubes

Lesson 13 - Advanced Level House

Lesson 14 - The Lily

Lesson 15 - Contour Tubes

Lesson 16 - The Wave

Lesson 17 - Rippling Flags

Lesson 18 - The Scroll

Lesson 19 - Pyramids

Lesson 20 - Volcanoes, Craters, and a Cup of Coffee