Museum Grounds - Bandstand

Yesterday, Ms Yeo and I went to the Sarawak Museum Grounds for some quiet afternoon sketch. The weather was fantastic for outdoor sketching; sunny yet breezy. 

We picked a bench under a shady tree facing the old bandstand on the museum grounds and sketched. (photo by Sia, who coincidentally was there with Ivy having rojak)

After capturing the main subject itself, I continued working on mine while we were having ais kacang at the nearby Summer House, an old pagoda structure with added overhang that housed stalls selling local desserts like rojak, belacan beehoon, shaved ice concoctions. 

We will be back for the other structures.

Bandolier

I took this idea from 'cleverhands' at Etsy, because I found it hard to keep all my pens in place whenever I go sketching. And since I sew, I decided to give it a go.

I dug into my stash and found these ribbons I bought from one of my trips.  Time to put them to use now.  I sealed the ends with the same grosgrain ribbon I was going to use for the pen sleeves.

I just used my standard pens to mark the loops with pins for the pen sleeves.

The velcro tapes I used came with quite strong adhesive backing. 

I didn't have a standard length to the strap.  I just made one to carry about 2 books and 5 assorted pens with me.  So, with different requirements, the length of the strap could vary from for 1 book all the way to for a stack of 5 books, or more.  Then again, if it should be any more, you need a bag.

In another attempt, I made straps instead of using ribbons for the strap.

So, this was the other strap I made.  It seemed sturdier because of the double-layered fabric.

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.

Junction of Main Bazaar & Jalan China

Went urban-sketching with Ms Yeo & Lee again.  This time at Main Bazaar.  It's a sun-shiny day, but we found nice shady spots under the trees along the Waterfront.

The junction of Jalan China & Main Bazaar

Family Time in Perth

Just returned from my Perth trip.  Most of my activities there revolved around the family.  We hadn't spent a lot of time bonding as a family for a long time, especially when my sis & bro-in-law now lives in Perth.  I like the casual & 'no-rush' schedule; afterall, it's supposed to be a 'holiday'.  So with all the family outings, I didn't find time to hangout with friends.  I might have to make another trip for that then (now, that's a valid reason to return).

Family outings included sis & mom's birthday lunch buffet at Burswood, shopping for outdoor stuff with the husband, bro's graduation at UWA, double dates with husband's cousin, sis's house-warming-birthday celebration, hiking with family at Lesmurdie Falls, etc. etc. etc.

Here are some sketches I did when there is extra time to kill.

brunch at Tarts with the family after a walk at Hyde Park

afternoon drive to Cottlesloe while shopping for outdoor gears

waiting at Whitfeld Court, in front of Winthrop Hall 

pipe organs in Winthrop Hall

keeping myself busy during my bro's convocation at Winthrop Hall, UWA 

Padungan

A ole-skool sundry shop along Padungan Road... I love a busy scene, with a lot of inanimate details.

Kenyalang

Last weekend, Ms Yeo, Lee & I went sketching in one of my favourite places ... Kenyalang Park Shopping Centre.  I always go there for my crafting supplies, costuming supplies, junk food, supplies of box sets, etc.  But, this trip is purely sketching ... no shopping.  Mine ...

... and Ms Yeo's sketch.

Sunday Market

A lot of Kuching folks grew up going to the Sunday Market at Satok for fresh produce, like fruits, vegetables, local produce, meat, seafood; all the way to daily sundry, pets, plants and flowers.  It's full of life, color, smell and flavor.  Azie initiated that we should capture the Sunday Market before it is moved, and so we did on 28 March 2012, with some close sketching buddies.

Stopped by Singapore

Recently, in February, on the way to Taipei, Taiwan, we had a day's stop in Singapore.  While waiting at the exit of Chinatown MRT for Stephen to arrive, before meeting Denise & Andy at Kki, I found a spot to sit & sketched.

Bangkok in Sketches

September last year, my husband and I with a group of friends made a trip to Bangkok.  Here are some of the sketches I did while sightseeing and waiting for the group.

 Here's a picture hubby took of me sketching in the yard of Jim Thompson's House, while waiting for our guided tour to start.

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.

Memories from Hanoi & Halong Bay

It's been almost a month since I came back from the Hanoi trip with Gette & Maggie. Making the fresh spring rolls from the rice paper I brought back from Hanoi recently, got me reminiscing about my trip. It was a fun weekend away, getting stuffed and inspired, with lots of sharing and laughs ... (not to mention, braving the honking street traffic)