She loves to stay by the garden as the sun shines down on the blooms and ferns, feeling the tender warmth of it embracing her like a familiar hug. 

Embroidery has always been a part of my days ever since I was a child. There are countless cross stitches and crochets that my mum made each day at home under golden sunlit and breezy days, and over at my grandmother's house there would be the dresses she makes with my uncle for clients, even for me and my cousins. We have lots of threads at home and even lots of beads and needles. I was, and still am enamored by the simple beauty of needle, fabric and thread.

I tried to create something similar to the art that my loved ones made when I was about 7 or 8-- I did a cross stitch piece following some of my mum's patterns but it didn't turn out as wonderful as theirs or in short, I wasn't any good with the patience that came with embroidery. 

A few years ago though, I started making friendship bracelets as a hobby. And then, just a few days ago, I had this simple yet remarkable feeling that I just had to create something with threads. I couldn't shake the feeling of excitement. And to make it even more thrilling for me, I stumbled upon a beautiful and helpful vintage sewing book that covered just about anything I wanted to know and more -- my mum was especially thrilled to see new crochet patterns and embroidery techniques. I just had started sketching ideas of what to sew and dove right in the embroidery days that I spent patiently and calmly beside my mother who was sewing a huge cross stitch piece of kois swimming in the water. I was immediately filled with the same kind of love and bliss that I felt during my childhood days as I watched my mother create anything with her needle and thread, even my doll's clothes and my very own apron. 

I feel like I am part of this huge tapestry, or a warm and cozy quilt made of the threads that connect my loved ones to me with all the threads and fabrics they used. And I feel... happy. 

So then I decided to go with the honey bee, a sweet and humble being that has always tickled my imagination. This is the first time I did an embroidery. It seemed tricky at first, especially planning the design and what kind of technique should I use, but the moment I started sewing, it felt like I have always been doing this for a long time now. Although I had pierced my fingers with the sharp needle lots of times, it wasn't unpleasant, it was just something that was part of the process of calm and patience. 

I have found the kind of needle and thread art that truly speaks to my being that involves the kind of hard work and creativity that connects me with my loved ones, especially my mother. She's really happy to be sewing with me. Now though, the fabric does not change from pristine white to a muddy one as I always did way back in those days...though just a few creases here and there. But we are happy. And that is what matters. 

The smell of the cold wind permeated the air, while the golden light of the afternoon sun was beautifully glowing on the leaves, the pavements, on busy feet and falling upon breathless, captivated lips.

Society6 is starting 2017 with a lovely promo from today until January 8, 12am Pacific Time!





I hope you could take a gander and wander around my shop and see if you like something. It would be such a thrill to see you use my art in your every day life.

You'll be able to activate the 15% OFF plus FREE worldwide shipping by clicking the link below. Weee! X

Thank you so much and I hope you'll have a lovely wander around my shop!

https://t.co/4qJ0vUO3Ji https://t.co/V6L6OmOTMa

She loves the garden and everything in it. Well, maybe not all -- she's terrified of centipedes! She'll let the sun shine on your plants even brighter and the wind nicer but remember to leave some herbs for her to cook with! Oh and her name is...a secret, she says! But the wind and the birds know, she said. If we know how to listen quietly, then we'd know her name.

Remember the beautiful feeling of touching the pages of an old book, wondering just how many people have lovingly anticipated the stories within its pages? Or that simple, musty and kind of historic scent of it? And also, the excitement of opening a new book and feeling like you've found a new companion? All these are quite quirky and simple but they are part of this wonderful love I have for books. It's not only the stories, but the companionship and the "passport" I attain to far off lands and new people in adventures I know I could only have in books.

Books on the shelves, on coffee tables, on tables beside beds and sofas, on cabinets and underneath flower pots -- the beautiful musty scent of pages old and new linger in every room along with the faint perfume of flowers and rosemary. She buries herself within the pages of literature, stuck inside the adventures and thoughts of each and every story she reads, the memories and lives of the characters felt like they were hers as well. Every fact and speculation she thoroughly peruses, taking in as much as she could digest.  The books are both her escape and her comfort.

I haven't done much digital illustrations lately as I have been so busy with the holidays and some custom handmade gifts. It's such a thrill to be busy for both! But a few days in after Christmas, I've had this "itch" to continue doing this literary girl -- it's been a while since I first started on her illustration and I felt like it was time to finish her portrait. We kind of look a bit alike, but this was unintentional. Really! Haha! Are you guys familiar with the observation that an artist kind of looks like the ones she / he draws? Or maybe that there's a similarity between them among the tiniest details? I suppose it did kind of happen to us here. Haha!

Anyways, I'd love to share the brushes I used in this illustration. It's what Mingjue Helen Chen's been using which she linked on her tumblr. I have been using them for a bit of a long time now and I could say that they are the best! Here's the link and I hope you'd get "lost" in her awesome blog. 

http://jigokuen.tumblr.com/post/78660442498/some-dc-girls-redesigns-an-extension-to-the

Oh and since you are here, here's a tumblr blog about books and such that I have been following for such a long time now. I hope you will enjoy staying in this cafe / library blog.

http://teacoffeebooks.tumblr.com/

Cheers everyone and happy holidays!
:)

 Lately, I have found myself enamored once again by the simple beauty of writing letters and flower pressing. They're both so nostalgic. They leave behind not only beauty but memories and feelings.