Belated Happy New Year! So, typically, I hardly record my painting process because it always is on the spur of the moment when I paint. This one, I was more intentional, as I was inspired to seeing my process and understand how long it actually took me to “finish”. This below is before I added the birds. So I am sharing the process video of how I painted an abstract landscape for Week 2 lesson of Wanderlust 2023 using chalk pastels (I only have a few) with clear and regular gesso. On top of that, I also used a bit of NeoColors water-soluble pastels and translucent texture paste. This abstract…
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The last time I posted an “Around here…” series was back in May. I cannot believe it has been that long, really! The flurry of activities that came about as we came out of lockdown was just overwhelming. A bit of warning, this post of photo-heavy. June: First order of business after lockdown was doing the round of hospital/doctor visits. Then came the search for apartments since we needed space for a family of 7; that includes our 4 rescue/adopted cats. With the exodus of expats, there is more option but of course I had to ask the neighbours for their experiences during lockdown because I need to be prepared…
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May came and went like a blur, between the dullness of our days, to creating some sort of routine to not spiraling mentally… basically a cacophony of emotions and ups and downs. We have been given some more food rations from the government ranging from toiletries, condiments to veggies and meat. There were still constant testing between antigen test kits and the PCR tests. An excuse to go out, rain or shine, but also too much of a hassle, trying to spray/disinfect where we went. Have been baking a lot since there’s no way to buy bread. And with shortage in yeast, had to jump into the sourdough starter adventure.…
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Spring time in Shanghai is looking so different this time. Varying forms of lockdowns are going on around the city as the local government tries to find ways to curb the rising number of COVID-19 infections from Omicron. We have also done several nucleic acid testing within our apartment compound as well as antigen tests. Kids have gone to virtual learning and are past the 1-month mark now. My office have switched to working from home almost the same time as my kids did as a precaution. Fortunately, we did so at the right time because some colleagues were on swift action lockdowns. I cannot help but look back and…
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Literally I have to find a new space for the 2022 of December Daily because I have ran out! The only year I did not do any December Daily was 2019 because I decided to take a break and do art journaling instead. This album is actually handmade using leftover binder D-ring and chipboards I had in my stash. I bought these Tim Holtz fabric from the Yuletide collection from a local seller (which I cannot find on the FreeSpirit website anymore. When I flipped through the 2020 album, I noticed that a lot of the stories were mine and not as much of my kids. I think that time…
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Over a month since the COVID-19 virus made China stand still, we are still taking precautions and even with almost zero new cases, although now the new cases are from overseas. Shanghai has started to have some normalcy and right now feeling a lot of gratitude that we can experience Spring even if it is not like the way it used to be. These days have been different, not just in China but I’m sure everyone else in the world. My kids have been e-learning since the beginning of February and so grateful how the school put these all together in such a short time. But 2 months of e-learning,…
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The Year of the Mouse started in a blur… or pretty much the entire January was a depressing one… Chinese New Year was especially since it was overshadowed with the novel coronavirus that has now gripped the world. A truly depressing one especially when this is the most important holiday for the Chinese. To be told not to go out, not to see relatives, not to travel, has been on the top of each government WeChat posts. No one could have known how this virus has impacted everyone and how serious it was. So yes, we have been in home quarantine for pretty much over 2 weeks. And work is…
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Last Sunday, 25 August, 2019, was the Happy Little Moments and annual Postcrossing Shanghai meetup crossover event, held at the Shanghai Mass Art Center. The event was originally slated for 10 August, 2019, unfortunately, was postponed due to typhoon Lekima that hit Shanghai. As this was the third year running, the number of people coming to mingle, buy, browser, write postcards, listen to the talks and more has doubled since the first one was held 2 summers ago. What an amazing turnout that was! Feeling so grateful that some friends came to the event and I even managed to grab a chance to chat with old and new friends alike.…
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As I’m writing this post (albeit a late one), I am still feeling like it’s all surreal, to be having a solo exhibit… #documentinglife has become something of a mission after I discovered digital scrapbooking when I just had kids. It became a way for me to capture those every day little moments in Shanghai as a family that is fleeting yet too precious not to eternalize. Eventually, it grew into a hobby that drives me to find inspiration even from the simplest things in everyday life, and also an effective medium for me to soak in the unique aspects of a new place visited. In a blink of an…
