Lunch at Lunuganga

All these while, Geoffrey Bawa's works had been architecture textbook stuff.  End of August this year, I finally had the chance to experience his works first hand, when I went to Lunuganga, Sri Lanka, with a few close friends.  Others will be snapping away at their idols' homes in Hollywood, but here I was, awestruck, surrounded by the works of the person who had inspired many successful architects and designers.

It was surreal and I had the chance to bask in its awesomeness while awaiting lunch on his porch overlooking the Western Terrace.  So, I sketched ...

This majestic frangipani tree was first tended to by Mr Bawa himself.  The branches were weighted to achieve the horizontal spread.

Lunch was quite the spread of well-prepared Sri Lankan delicacies.  After the soup, there were green beans curry, cucumber curry, stirfried greens, chicken curry, spicy prawns, beetroot in coconut sauce, ambarella chutney, popadam, stirfried eggplant, dhal, green bananas done like fries and 2 types of rice.  Dessert was a sinful portion of biscuit lined chocolate cake with vanilla icecream.

It must have been the appetite we worked up from the stroll during his garden tour, because I had additional helpings.  In between stuffing my face, we had fantastic time recalling our favourite framed moments of his scenic and serene 15-acre estate.  

This was a trip worth every breath of sigh in awe ... I have to come back.

Hammocks for Hubs

Hubby said he was going camping and needed my help with sewing some new hammocks.  I was more than excited.  It had been a long time since I actually sewn new projects, other than just repairing clothing or bags.  

He told me how he wanted it done.  Showed me some of the other stuffs they had and asked me if I could do something similar.  Roughly, this was what we did with the ripstop nylon fabric he bought.  We cut it up into 2 panels of approximately 8'(L)x5'(W).  At both ends, I had to allow enough sleeve room for them to hang up the hammock.  Hubs thought about having this pouch sewn to the sides for keeping the hammock and also as a side pocket for when the hammock was being used.

The Sketchbook Project 2012

This morning, I received an email from The Art House Librarian Robot (hihi... cute, rite?) that made me so relieved that I can finally blog about this project that we've been working on.

All 5 of us had been on the edge of our seats since we sent out our labour of love.  Now, I could totally comprehend the agony parents had to deal with parting with their children when they go away to venture the world.  And this was what our Sketchbooks were supposed to do ... to go on The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour (hopefully) and be on display at the Brooklyn Art Library.

Sketchbook Project 2012 by the Art House Co-op in Brooklyn, NY.  "The Sketchbook Project is a traveling library that archives thousands of artists' sketchbooks from across the globe and shares them with the public. This is where we share all of the incredible work from the shelves." ~http://blog.sketchbookproject.com/

I signed up for the theme "Life Underground" and toyed around with a couple of ideas on how to express myself through the theme on the sketchbook.

Ruffed Xmas Decor in Hair

Last December,  the AhMah Mafias decided to have our Xmas dinner at The Dyak.  I decided to make everyone something as a Xmas present.  So instead of a party hat, I made us hairbands with felt flowers.