ART WORK – Way outta my league

Art work on T-shirts by Lan Boey

These were painted for her 2 boys many moons ago. Worn with pride and now kept for the "akan datang" (coming soon) next generation. 

Heirlooms still looking like yesterday's work.

Another artwork form requiring patience is Kirie - Japanese art of paper cutting. Do I have the patience? NO! Art for me are things best left not to temper with.

 I wouldn’t think about it even if my life depended on this. The nearest I got to paper cutting was when I was 16. My Art teacher put me in charge of making stain glass windows with cellophane papers to decorate the doorways (four huge arch ways) to our Art Classrooms. I have a little OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) so I was left to supervise the class to complete this massive project - cutting out designs on thick black cardboards and then gluing in with coloured cellophane sheets. We finished the stunning master pieces and the “stained glass” arches glowed and shimmered in our sizzling sun, but at what cost? The entire class with their calloused fingers must have cursed me for life. Then my Mie decides to turn up for the exhibition and goes, “Ohhh my Sassy JAM, they are bea..u..ti...fool. Why don’t you make some for home?" I love my mummie very much. But she never got her stained glass windows!  So how does this lady cut such intricate art from paper.  She is Masayo Fukuda  with more than 25 years experience in kirie. 

All this cutting and slicing is done on a SINGLE sheet of white paper. Both sides have identical patterns so there is no right or wrong side.

                           Paper treasures from the SEA.

She uses a torch light to produce the tiny "holes" and "string-like" patterns

This kirie octopus only took two months to complete! The intricate rings on the tentacles, reminds me of French lace.

A paper broach for my Bloggers. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAN BOEY. TQ for our T-shirts,

 QIGONG GALS ROCK.

BALI - CHILDREN WITH SMILES

 

Balinese children are born to sun, row and swim in their lovely tanned complexion. 

 Oh, how I wish for  their natural sun baked colour. I go out in the sun, just to dry the laundry and the freckles on my face light up like bulbs on a Christmas tree 🎄.

Taking a page from my 2017 holiday collection, when holidays were a norm then, I found these children just having a good time. 

The sun was hot in the early evening. No need for expensive toys, speed boats or jet skis to have fun.

A ducky float and 

a good friend makes their day.

When the sun got low and it started to get cool, the babes got wrapped up into cute bundles.

 The sun has gone to bed and so must I.

'Tis time to bid you "selamat tingal" (adieu).

"Mak's waiting with 'makan' and I must 'pulang ke rumah' (be on my way home)."

TECOMAs on SIZZLING DAYS

Every February and March after the wet Northeast monsoon, temperatures get so hot. Malaysians stay indoors and just whinge! But one good thing emerges from the intense heat, our Tecoma trees BLOOM.

Tecoma trees graciously line our  highways especially in the Northern states of Kedah and Penang.Their pink, 

 white and purple flowers

look very much like the Japanese cherry blossoms (from afar) which are blooming all over the world during Spring now.

Thus, during the dry season from Feb to April, we get to enjoy our own "sakura season."

Glorious blooms to enjoy and pretend it is snow.

If I were a cow, I would be regurgitating under the Tecoma blooms too. 

Quoting a poem by William Henry Davies (1871-1940), "What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. 

No time to stand beneath the boughs, And stare as long as sheep or cows."

Image credit: Angelin

Journeys made sweeter with the Tecoma and 

 traffic along Jalan Bakau Condong, Batu Pahat don't feel too bad. 

We also have yellow species 

that grows into a 

smaller shrub. This one is planted in my garden.

The only down side to Tecoma season is

 the blooms leave a blanket of flowers below the trees. This is the scene on the road  

outside my house. Jom Sassy JAM get the "lidi" broom, the  

ocean of flowers need to be swept up. 

But 'tis is a small price to pay to enjoy such beauty.

Yes, "A poor life this if, full of care, 

We have no time to stand and stare." 

RAIN DROPS IN THE MORNINGS

 An unexpected surprise to wake up to! Now that the hot days are over and replaced by the inter-monsoons, we get thunderstorms during the nights and early mornings. 

Thus, while parents are stressing out

 getting their kids to school 

and keeping them dry from the puddles and torrential rain,

 Sassy JAM clicks away to catch the rain drops. 

on jasmines and orchid roots.

On bougainvilleas and flowers I know not their name!

Fresh rain drops on leaves.

Ahh, the satisfaction of being an old fogey - there is NO rush in my mornings anymore!

 I still do prepare breakfast for my two pests - Gizmo Man and Savvy K. Then feed my two Darlings - Thory and Bella, 

but life is much simpler now. 

"LOOK into my red eyes," says the fly, 

"..zzzzz.. Your every morning will be GOOD MORNINGs."

 

BEAUTIFUL THINGS in LIFE are FREE. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mrs. Liew. 

Wishing you bright and sunny days always.