Fresh from the Farmers Market

Saturdays are farmers' market days here in our town. I got up early this morning with my boys to shop for fresh produce.


Here, we're picking out the juiciest peaches for the peach crepes I'll be making


Sweet corn on the cob for lunch with grilled pesto chicken.


Cucumbers & onions for the salad. Try sliced cucumbers drizzled with red balsamic vinegar, dash of salt & pepper, and brown sugar. A tasty, refreshing summer side dish.


We love these granola bars from the Amish. These make for healthy quick snack, especially for our little guys.


Loading up on these greens!


And don't forget the carrots. We love snacking on these. Blanch it in hot water then drizzle with agave syrup to cap off your sweet cravings.

Can't wait to cook things up for an al fresco dining with family today.

Have you been to the market today? Share your photos too.

- Posted from my iPhone

Hundred Gardens Project

Photographers and Garden Enthusiasts Wanted! Want to see your gardens turn into visual art? Then join the hundred paintings project.

I'm starting a new painting project: 'Hundred Gardens'.

How you can participate: Send me a photo of your garden and I'll paint it. Even if you're not a professional photographer, you may send your digital or scanned photos. You will be given credits if your photo is selected. The artistic the shot is, the better chance it will have to be chosen and painted among the firsts. Let me know which town, state or country your garden is located. Consider it a virtual global garden tour for online viewers to see.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing your beautiful gardens. It's time to show off your green thumbs and let your hard work be seen.

Have a question? Just drop me a line.

A Quiet Time

Grandmas are heaven sent. Today I was able to read my favorite magazines at Borders while our new baby naps in his stroller. And big brother, I bet he's having a blast with Grandma.

Notice the zebra print car seat canopy? I made it few weeks after giving birth and it has since been getting raves from both moms & dads everywhere we go. They've been asking me where I got it.

Maybe I should start making lots of these. Perhaps my next 'quiet time' will be 'sewing time'.

- Posted from my iPhone

ABCs of a Tea Party

With clear skies and nice weather, summer is the perfect time for tea parties. I'm not talking about the political 'tea parties'. This is after all, an art blog.

I recently held a tea party for the kids in our family. I want to share with you my ABC's for preparing a budget-friendly tea party for the little ones and the kids at heart too. I marked the photo above for your reference.

a - For the table napkins, I bought 2 yards of linen fabric and hand drawn the leaf prints with fabric pens.

b - My favorite flea market find! Twenty two set of white and silver vintage china in perfect condition. I wanted my little guests (and the not so little) to have a genuine experience using real tea cups.

c - Set of wooden bowls from Goodwill. Tough and durable for little hands.

d - For my flower centerpiece, I plucked some Nikko Blue Hydrangeas from our yard and set it on vintage blue wine glasses (another flea market find!).

e - No tea bags for that day, only loose leaf teas brewed in IKEA cafe presses.

f - Freshly squeezed lemonade mixed with mango juice, for refreshment.

g - Perfectly warmed tea bread and pastries from our local bakery.

And since my little guests know I'm an artist, I gave them their own 'art kits' complete with sets of paints, paper canvases and brushes from the dollar store. We let them express their creativity painting whatever subject they fancy.

Do I think they had a great time? The smiles from my tiniest guests say it all.

There you go! Have fun hosting your own tea party. Share your photos, I would love to see them too.

Market Day Feature

Hooray for another feature!

The lovely Meghan from Lotus's Workshop featured my veggie and fruit baggie in their website. Check out their juicy site filled with great handmade finds.

Be Happy

Someone once told me that whenever you feel gloomy, look up at the sky. It will somehow 'lift up' your spirits.

I was reminded of that when I took this shot today, and wanted to share it to you.

May the skies above you, may it be cloudy or sunny, bring cheers to your day.

- Posted from my iPhone

An Old Century Style

The classic triangular shawl is revisited. Using vintage style and pattern, I recreated one of the styles that made crochet popular in the late 1800s.

I couldn't help but think about the history of the needle art I came to love while doing this piece. Wondering how many women across centuries took the quiet time to finish the same project. Imagine from 1800s 'til today, this form of art ceaselessly persevered.

It was a joyful process to give life to a classic creation and give history a modern take.

Click here to see more images and find out more about this piece.