Garden in the Forest (IF-MIdsummers's Night)

I found a Garden in The Forest

where I often sit and linger

to get lost in my own thoughts...

 Garden in the Forest #1-3, acrylics and colored pencils on board

Hi all. I have been enjoying painting these days, making more "crafty" art and finding it to be quite a relaxing thing. I suppose not working for deadlines plays a major role in this... as some of you may agree, yes? Well, I think I'm just lucky to have the kind of occupation that gives me plenty of freedom and space to keep things flowing according to my own needs. And of course, these girls are now available for adoption in my shop, so please feel free to pop in. :)

Now talking about luck, I have had plenty lately too. First of all, a dear blog friend (and a terrific artist!), Sara Lynn, has passed me The Versatile Blogger Award and I'm excited to pass it along to a few friends who I think deserve it:

Tammie Lee of Beauty Flows
Theresa of Welcome to My World with Faerie Moon Creations
Cris of Mommy's Midwest Mountain Folk Art
Lauren of Fair Rosamund Art
Maria-Thérèse of Afiori

On top of the award, I was also very very fortunate to have won a giveaway from Kaspian Shore!!! Have you ever seen his art? Well, I was blown away the first time I saw it, and have remained an admirer ever since. Here's a little peek of his work, but I really recommend you to visit his blog and find yourself lost in the serene melancholy that he captures in each of his paintings.

So, it's been a good beginning to the week for me so far... I hope you'll have plenty of luck and happy moments in your days too!

Amalia, oxx

Getting Ahead of Time

Ok, I'm cheating now.

Due to the fact that my creativity juice level is stubbornly standing on 'low', I'm afraid I have no choice but to post whatever I have up my sleeve... just to soothe my shaky self-esteem and convince myself that I still have it in me. (^___^)

Anak-anak yang Kembali, 2011, mixed mediums

This one is another illustration I did for a book by Benny Arnas. As you can probably tell, I've been using more digital mediums in my work lately. Well, other than giving myself full liberty to stay connected to technology (knowing how much of a cave woman I am), it is also a great way to keep time from getting ahead of me. So, thank God for technology! At least an ill feeling pregnant illustrator could still find comfort to know that she can finish her work. Eventually.

Now, I must share with you a lovely award that was given by my beautiful friend, Ana Márquez. If you visit her blog, you'll see that her creativity juice level is constantly marking the top spot, both in art and in writing. So thank you for the award, Ana. You are so very sweet.

To spread the love, I'm passing this award to all my bloggy friends and those who follow my blog. I only hope to give you a teeny bit of sunshine to accompany your day. Much love to all of you! ♥


Amalia, oxx

Giving Myself Some Good Advice #3: Make Promises and Carry Them Out

Hey there sweet people! How are you settling into 2011? Do you have promises still waiting to be carried out? Any requests you've agreed to that still stubbornly hide inside your pockets? Well, I have a few of those! Last year, I agreed to do a drawing for Jenny May from The Swede Records. Long overdue as it was, you can now see my drawing on her super delightful blog. If you've been there before, I'm sure you know the kind of fun loving thing she has going with her man. At least that's what I sensed when I visited her for the first time. It's always nice to step into a world where you feel so welcomed as with Jenny's. So many smiles and laughter in all her posts!

Partners in Love, 8x10, acrylics and tea stains

Well, as you can see, I'm still pretty much in the vintage mood. I now have this craving to smudge, stain, splatter, tear and wrinkle! I'm sure it's a pretty common thing with artists during the beginning of the year to adopt a new addiction? Yes? :)) As usual, this one just made it into my shop.

Anyway, back to promises... Want to know something I'm very lousy at? Passing on awards!! My deepest apologies, I just never seem to have the time. But that of course will have to change. At least I'll do my best. So huge thank yous to Yeevon and Sara Lynn for giving me the Stylish Blog Award!

Now to share 7 things about me...

• I cherish my first sip of hot coffee in the wee hours of the morning. Usually around 3-4 am!
• Breakfast menus are my favorite. I would have them 3 times a day if I had my way.
• I can never keep a sketchbook. They either mysteriously disappear or make their way to my girl's desk for her own use.
• I have watched The Sound of Music more than 50 times in my life. Gotta love those puppets they played!!
• When I was little, I once adopted an old, mangy, tattered looking cat off the street and named him Timmy, whom I loved adoringly.
• I'm very good with visual memories but very bad at remembering dates and year.
• One place I'm fanatically dying to see is Santorini in Greece.

And to pass the awards to some deliciously stylish blogs:

Anne of El Milagro Studio: Little Miracles of Art
Rossichka of Out of the Shell
Heidi of Art Journal of Heidi Alamanda
Faerwillow of ~Serendipity~
Ann Marie of My Dog is a Pancake
Cecilia of doodle doodle dum dum
Katherine of Katherine Thomas Art
Yasmin of Mundo Mundaca

There. Promises carried out as intended. And it sure feels good! Well, I have the same award passed on to my other blog, and you're welcome to read about it there. Have an inspiring weekend, friends!


Hugs to you,
Amalia
oxox

Again, thank you, Ces... oxx



________________________________________________________________________________

Seven Pages Turned

Pink cotton candy and a bouquet of daisies

A box full of charms and a handful of stars

Twinkles in your eyes

A stand full of poise

One, two, three

Four, five, six

Seven pages turned

A kiss on both cheeks

One more on the nose

My heart and my soul

Forever in yours

~A.K~

Beautiful birthday wishes to you, my darling little princess. 

oxox


**********

Post Update:

For those of you who have been following my last few posts, I'm sure you already know the 'rush' I'm going through right now. Too much is going on inside my mind, all tapping me on the head begging to come out. So, my deepest gratitude to you for understanding, my friends. :)

And thanks to my ignorance of the world outside, I have actually forgotten (yes, forgotten!) to deliver this award to a few friends. Thank you, Leah Marie Brown, for giving me this token of friendship and please, please, please forgive me for keeping this inside the drawers for far too long!! Now, you should all know that Leah is a wonderful writer whose enchanting blog is filled with magical wonders of 18th century France. Serendipity, as she and I believe in,brought me there to find her written words that took me to an era long gone but definitely not forgotten.

So here I am, continuing the tradition of blog awards, passing one to each of  these lovely friends:

Vanessa Brantley Newton

Katherine Thomas 

Shirley Ng-Benitez

Lauren

E.V.
Julia Christie

Now, I was asked to share five addictions that I have, but I could only think of one.

I'm addicted to life and all the grandeur that goes along with it.

Every little thing fascinates and intrigues me. I just hope my mind has enough strength and will power to keep on pondering.

Hugs to you!!

All Is Well in the Forest of Kings

Yes, I must say that despite all the troubles I'm undergoing to make sense of life, I admit that it is, in fact, grand. I've had my share of typhoons and the storm is probably just somewhere behind the purple hazed horizon. But typhoons and storms have their endings and every ending has a new beginning. So why the frown? Let me share a couple of things that made me smile today...

For one, I intended this as a black and white sketch, but then I got carried away and decided to play with some paint and water. I'm quite happy with it (being such a coward with watercolor!), not to mention I can now post one of my favorite poems with it! (^_^)

The Wood Nymph

A glint of her hair or a flash of her shoulder
That is the most I can boast to have seen,
Then all is lost as the shadows enfold her,
Forest glades making a screen of their green,
Could I cast off all the cares of tomorrow

Could I forget all the fret of today
Then, my heart free from the burdens I borrow,
Nature’s chaste spirit her face would display.

Ellis Parker Butler

Secondly, my sweet friend Lauren has so very kindly given me an award...

...and yes, yes, yes! The title fits perfectly, doesn't it??!

And here are the 10 questions I'm supposed to answer for the award (bear with me, Ill keep it simple):

1. What is one thing you wish to achieve this year?
Same old, same old... be better at what I do and who I am.

2. What is your favorite animal?
Owls and swans.

3. What is your favorite book and why?
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)... it taught me a lot about human nature.

4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
The Lake District, UK.

5. What do you do to relax?
"Relax"??? What is that? I've never heard of it!! Heehehe....

6. What inspires you the most?
Past experiences.

7. If you could live in a different era, when would it be?
Somewhere along the 1800s, when men bowed and women curtsied (even if they didn't like each other :))

8. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
I get to exchange banters with ridiculously mad, fascinating and brilliant people! (you know who you are!!)

9. What is your favorite food/meal?
Sushi (meoowww...)

10. Do you have a special collection of things you adore?
Oodles and oodles of books.

Whew! So here's my favorite part... I'm passing this award to:

Susan my pencil sister
Cesalina the Viking's wife
Rossichka the puppet master
Mita the elusive witch 
Bella my pink cotton candy, and
Pinocchio (oops, I mean Andrew!)

And could you guys answer these questions for the award too? Don't worry, I'll let you off this time and give you only 5 to answer:

1. If you could have any profession other than the one you have now, what would it be?
2. What is the one word that describes you best?
3. Who is your favorite book character?
4. If you could have a super natural power, what would it be?
5. Which is worse, a bad haircut or a black eye?

Well, have a great life everyone! oxoxo

One Award, One Gift

 

Hope, courage and faith. These are the three graceful words engraved in The Deborah Award, that is now bestowed upon me by my darling friend, Ces. Although I wonder whether I'm worthy of such an award, I am truly honored to have it here at 'home'. I'm sending the same award to these remarkable people...So guys, feel free to spread the love to your friends too!

Susan Mordigal
Nicola Toms 
Krista Hamrick
Jessica Stride
Karen Davis
Patricia Gonzales
Andrea Heredia
Alexandra Garland
Winnie Luthien Thye

And as for my dearest friend, Ces, I hope this little gift below amuses you... Thank you for the friendship, I'm so very excited to discover more things about you!

Cescalina

She traveled far from a distant land
Searching for dreams and sparkles of life
Ask her a question that she could ponder upon
Let her amuse you with her joyful thoughts

Play a game with her, if you will
Then find your spirit set free
As she amuses you with her wits
And humor you with her bursts of laughter

Never mock her, I dare say
Stay true to yourself
As she would expect you to
Honest and brave as she carries herself

Ask her for nothing more
And she will ask you just the same
Always, forever a friend
To her, yourself and each other

Love for The Pain

Isn't it strange how life keeps reminding you of things that you tend to forget or rather not think about? Pain, illnesses, death, being some of them. Though these things do exist in the past, present and most likely in the future, we often get carried away with just 'living' and could only gasp when it hits us right in the face.

These last few days I've been remembering past memories of my late friend, Andia. We met during my first year in college and we became inseparable instantly. She died at the age of 30 from cancer and never once during the eleven years we were friends, did I think that I would be living this day without her. She was the best friend I've ever had and will forever stay in that special place in my heart.

A few days ago, I received a message on Facebook, from a new friend, Camille. She had openly told me of the illness she's suffering from and had confided that one of her wishes was to have just a little token of my art at home. I was touched by her bravery and of course, that little token of my art will find its new home with her very soon. Again, another reminder that somewhere, in another part of the world, oceans away from where I am, someone is battling for her life.

And now a little twist to the story. Just this morning I received a kind, kind gift from my wonderful friend, Ces, who has generously given me an award. The Renee Award. For those of you who were blessed to have known Renee, you'll know that she was an extraordinary woman with a heart of gold, and battling with cancer was also the last story of her life.

This particular award is one framed with love and friendship. Designed by her dearest friends, Ces and Bella, The Renee Award is a strong proof that life has its own way of creating love for the pain. So thank you, Ces and Bella, I'm so glad our paths crossed somewhere in this life and I hope I'm lucky enough to call you friends for a very long time.

Sunshine Through My Window

All I wanted the first time I started this blog was to share my thoughts and show the world what I see through my eyes and my heart. I never dreamed that I would meet so many incredible, honest and loving people that I am now blessed to call friends. I guess this goes to show that the world isn't all that bad, since there still are people who could be sunshine on a rainy day. So thank you my dearest friend, Susan Mordigal of Susan Beth Studio, for giving me this award and I'm more than excited to pass it along to 12 other beautiful 'sunshine friends'. And seeing that Susan has already presented the same award to a few people I also have in mind, I'm afraid I'm going to give the award to those people too because I love them so much! You know who you are, so if you get more than one award, then it's just solid proof that you are that wonderful!!

Kathy Hare of Moongazing Hare

Jessie of Jessie Lilac

Ces of Ces and Her Dishes

Krista of Krista Hamrick Illustration

Nicola of Nicola Toms Designs

Rossichka of Out of the Shell

Helen  of The Willows Nest

Shirley of Shirley's Illustrations

Bella of Bella Sinclair Doodlespot

Vanessa of Ooh La La Design Studio 

Sandra Vargas of SandyGrafik

Julie-ann Bowden of Heavenleigh Art

Flor of Zumbudrule

Evangelina Prieto of Evangelina Prieto Ilustracion

...And since I'm cheating already... I'm giving this award back to you, sweet, sweet Susan!! xx

So you all must know how this works, right? (of course, this doesn't apply to you, the experienced award recipients!!). Just do exactly what I did... minus the 'cheating' if you can!! Hahaha...

- Display the award logo within your post.

- Mention the person you received the award(s) from, including the link to their blog(s).

- Pass along the award to 12 more people who you think should receive one, including their links too.

- Of course, don't forget to notify these lovely people about their awards!