Illustration Friday- Fleeting

Did u catch any fleeting glimpses of eggs or chocolate kisses on Easter morning?
Hope you all had a great Easter! :)

Sakura season in Tokyo!

Back from our Tokyo trip and boy do i miss Japan already!
The sakuras were lovely... and best of all, they were pink! My favorite color! :P
Here are some lovely pictures from my trip!









And a special part of the trip was that I got to meet Bella!! :)
(Oh Bella... only shortly after we parted ways, I realized I forgot to get a picture with you!) :S

Little India photoshoot

Been going to Little India for the last 2 days to do some location shooting for an on going project. The place is full of interesting sights, sounds and smells. And it was also very warm, and I got sunburnt! Its been a busy week! clearing loads of work before we get going on our holiday.
But some how, running up and down Little India didn't really feel like work :)

here are some shots that I'd like to share. :)

This is a shop that sells clay pots for incense burning during prayers.

And flowers shops are a common sight with many along the streets.

Pretty Indian outfits for sale at the market. Look at all that shiny beads and bright colors! :) really pretty.

This uncle at the chappati shop was really friendly and obliging, :) he let us film him going about preparing chappatis.

Bangles! another pretty thing! shiny and colorful. :)


Lots of vegetable shops here too. Nice array of colors from the different variety.

Illustration Friday-Intricate

I always thought traditional batik fabrics were lovely, filled up with intricate patterns. Some had animal or plant motifs and others had repeated abstract patterns.
I did get to try batik when i was studying, and it was a challenge dripping the wax out evenly. the tool used to dispense the wax was called a canting, a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup with a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps. mine always clogged up...
So, here's my doodled pen and ink version of batik. :P

Illustration Friday-Breezy

The other day, i watched a documentary on plants' seed and fruit dispersal methods.
On breezy days, some flowers disperse their seeds in the wind.
Another "Discovery Channel" inspired piece! :P

Illustration Friday-Instinct

For this week's IF, i'm putting up my latest moly entry.

Space bunny's first instinct was to search for the elusive planet carrot.

Illustration Friday- Celebrate

Not too long ago, i was watching a nature documentary about a mother and baby whale making their way around the globe. Their journey was fraught with much dangers to the little calf, like large whale bulls and killer whales.
But at the end of the journey, it was a reason to celebrate when they got to their destination safely.
I gave them some happy bunny angels to watch over their journey! :P

Unlikely pals

2 unusual friends hanging out in the car :)
A rabid rabbit and a cool carrot!

Pretty

My favorite neighborhood kitty! :)
Managed to get her posing nicely... she's usually running around my legs and its almost impossible to get a nice shot of her.:)

Illustration Friday-Climbing

The creepers grew and grew, climbing all over the garden wall.

Cookies! :)

Its been a long time since I last baked, and over the weekend while i was cleaning my bookshelf, I saw my 500 cookies book and knew I just had to make something! :)

And I picked the white choc chip and cranberry cookie to make....
my baking skills are a slight bit rusty(was a bit slow and goofed up with the timing) but i guess with a bit more polishing up they'd be ok!

Yummy! :)

Holidays holidays holidays

Wooo been caught up in the holiday mood recently, which explains my lack of postings here! :P
Well, I'm back... and about to post about... what else but another holiday!
One that's coming up pretty much soon.
The Lunar New Year, or some call it Chinese New Year.
This holiday mood is felt once the Xmas decorations are taken down and get replaced with red flowers, crackers and mascots of the year's zodiac animal. (this year being the ox) Shops start playing traditional Chinese new year music (which is like Xmas carols but, on a whole different twist! The songs are filled with lots of 'Dong' and 'Chang' sounds, which I can't really stand! hurhur)
So anyways, made an early trip down to Chinatown (to avoid the crowds) for a look see, and soak in more holiday cheer... Chinese New Year is about 2 and a half weeks away, and at the speed time passes, it'll be here in no time!
For those of you who dun celebrate this occasion or dun have a Chinatown where you are, here's a peak into one! :) Enjoy!

Here's a stall selling Chinese paper cuttings. They are really pretty and intricate. :)

Chinese knot tassels... you can hang these on your floral arrangements or anywhere around the house.

Cherry blossoms are a popular flower to decorate your house with during the festive season as it represent Spring.

Brocade ox plush! These are so cute I had to get a pair! :) they are holding onto to little stuffed gold bags.

This shop house in Chinatown has been all decorated for the occasion.

Many different varieties of melon seeds. One of the auspicious tidbits to serve when guests and relatives visit your home.

The great wall of sweets! Hahaha! :) Sweets are also an auspicious tidbit to serve.

The Chinese New Year is kinda like Xmas, whereby you stuff all your guests silly with lots and lota of goodies. These are sweet and savory cookies. These red capped containers of various tidbits are a popular sight during Chinese new year too.

Everyone is busy buying decorations and ornaments to decorate their homes for the festive mood.

These candied dried fruit are a rather traditional auspicious tidbit. Sweet things generally symbolize the sweetness of life.

Red packs with various kinds of ox mascots on them! Red packets are one of the highlights of the Chinese new year, especially for kids! These contain money which are handed out to children or adults who are not married yet. I'll miss receiving these now that I'm married... in fact, I've now become one of the distributors of these! HAhaha :P