New Art | Captivating no. 1

I've been posting less this month. 

As the school year quickly winds down and with my husband's real estate business rapidly growing, there have been some changes in our routine.

I simply have less time to work on my projects.

But I managed to take some time for art today. Art always makes me feel centered. After several hours of immersing myself in creativity, I now feel refreshed. 

I'm thrilled how it turned out and couldn't wait to share it with you.

I started with a pencil drawing, and followed with a wash.

Then I took out my medium, dark, and white charcoal pencils and added some more shading and details.

Captivating no. 1: Ink pen, watercolor, charcoal on paper.

What is your legacy?

I have an aunt, whom I've never met. 

She died when she was 11, after suffering from Leukemia for several years. 

Her life ended too early, without having a chance to blossom into the person she could possibly be. 

  
Over the course of a few years, my aunt went through one treatment after another to fight her cancer. She was finally doing better, or at least it appeared that way, after trying a new medication imported from America. My grandparents had to pay for it out of their own pocket since their insurance didn't cover the cost. It was during the post WWII era, and the entire Japanese society was still poor at the time, including my grandparents. 

My grandparents weren't ready to let go of their daughter. 
They were willing to do anything to give her a chance to live. 

"One year,"
the doctor said.
"If she stays clear for one year with this new medication, I'd say the cancer is in remission."

My grandparents believed the doctor's words, and invested their fortune into this drug that was supposed to bring a cure. 

"Please dear God, or whatever it is out there,"
they prayed,
"please let this work. Please give our daughter a chance to live!"

Despite their constant prayers, her cancer suddenly took an unexpected turn for the worse. My aunt's life came to an abrupt end without giving her family enough time to process what they had to let go. 

It was a tragic loss for our family. My mother, who is a big sister to my aunt, still refuses to mention her name after fifty years. Even as a child, I understood the unspoken agreement of not going to this vulnerable place. For my mom, it's been the scar that should never be touched. 

My grandmother, on the other hand, brought her beloved daughter's memories back to life by sharing her stories with me.

My aunt Reiko was a creative spirit, full of life, who didn't stop drawing on a sketchbook even when she was ill, dying from cancer. She drew cartoons and created elaborate stories about friendships. The friendships she probably yearned to have herself outside of the hospital ward. 

Even though we've never met face to face, I'd always felt my aunt's presence throughout my childhood. I admired her drawings, played with a doll that was once hers, and saddened by the stories of how she courageously fought with cancer and lost her battle in the end.  

Beyond the time and space, my aunt have shared her gift of drawing and crafting stories with me through my grandmother's stories. My grandmother's gift of storytelling has enriched my life beyond words.

Their stories now slowly merge into mine, and their legacy will continue to live through me. 

I believe we are here to serve specific purposes in our lives. You create your legacy by generously sharing your gift with others. Your legacy may not be something monumental that changes the entire world or stand the test of time over a century. But we are here to make a difference, no matter how big or small it is.

The meaning of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away.

                                         - Pablo Picasso

I wonder what kind of legacy I'm going to leave behind. Just like my aunt and grandmother infused their love for art and storytelling into me, I know I will make a difference in someone's life when I share my gift. 

We are the threads.
Together, we weave a beautiful piece of tapestry.

I am becoming the person I'm designed to be, one step at a time. 

What is your gift you're going to share with the world?

What kind of legacy are you going to leave behind? 

Because a feather makes everything better

Ever since I did this DIY art & frame project, I've been quite obsessed with feathers and washi tape. I think they are such a cute addition to any decor or art project. 

So, I couldn't help but using them in my new art project. I think they make the piece. What do you think? 

Wishing upon a star: 

Wishing upon a star: Acrylic, oil-based paint pen, feathers, washi tape on paper.

Mary the DIY Resin Bust is the model for the profile drawn in the artwork. 

Mary The DIY Resin Bust

I also added a hawk feather underneath the framed art in our kitchen. My two year old found this feather while playing in his grandparents' backyard. 

Isn't it pretty adorned with blue polka dot washi tape? Now we can admire this beauty every day while sitting at our kitchen table.

I enjoy bringing natural elements into our home because bringing a little bit of the outdoors instantly relaxes a space.

Washi tape also has endless possibilities. Here are some great ideas I found around the web. 

Casa Washi Tapes for Home Decor by Design*Sponge

Washi Tape Cards by Su Wolf

Washi Tape Banner by a golden afternoon

Do you use feathers or washi tape for your creative projects?  

What I Learned in May

It's hard to believe May is almost over. That means it's time to share what I've learned this month. 

Here are seven things I learned in May. Are you ready? Here we go!

* * *

1. Bee or Wasp?
 

image via Pinterest

Well, I'm not sure if it's just me lost in translation (in Japanese, we call both honey bees and wasps, "bees"), but I didn't quite know the differences between them. I do now. 

2. My boys sound exactly like me, when they are either being compassionate or demanding.
I wonder if those are the qualities that stand out in me? Am I a compassionate yet demanding mom?

3. The love for decorating runs in the family. Just like their mom, my boys love adding their own decorating touches to our home. 

Here are some of the changes they've recently made around the house.

This little guy hanging from the ceiling.

Well, you got the idea.

I was terrified to find this huge monkey laying on the floor first thing this morning.

4. When you have an idea and you're excited about it, you just have to give it a try no matter how crazy it seems. This is exactly what I did when I came up with the idea of making my own youtube video. I was skeptical at first, but I'm glad I followed my heart. I ended up having a lot of fun doing it.

5. Cooking french toast wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I love cooking. But somehow, I've never tried french toast until last week. I thought it was kind of a fancy breakfast and I always opted for pancakes. As it turned out, making french toast is super easy! It's also a good way to use up day old bread. 

I followed this recipe, and topped it with confectioner's sugar, fresh blueberries, and maple syrup.

Now what can be better than this? 

6. Starting a day with Bialetti's espresso is simply the best. My sister- and brother-in-law gave me this Bialetti for my birthday. I've wanted this since February, so I was overjoyed when I found out they got one for me. Thanks Elizabeth and Johan!!

My glorious Bialetti

Now combine this with homemade french toast = I'm in heaven. 

7. Walking down memory lane is a great way to uncover the shape of your soul. Looking back on my childhood has helped me understand who I truly am and what matters to me (you can read here and here).

* * *

Today, B'more Bungalow is joining me to share what she's learned this month. Would you visit her site and say hello?

*What I Learned This Month by B'more Bungalow  

I am also linking up with Emily at chatting at the sky for her What We Learned series. 

 * * *

What did you learn this month? Share in the comment? 

Me and My Piano | This is where I start

This is where I am today with my piano. 

You can also watch the video Here

It's been 19 years since I really practiced it. You can see I'm quite rusty right now. But I'm hopeful that I will only get better from here.

What do you think will happen if I practice 30 minutes a day, starting today? 

We will find out.
ox

Taking a walk down memory lane part 2 | New Art

I decided to look back on my childhood again.

This time, through my art. 

* * *

Ginkgo:
My elementary school was surrounded by tall ginkgo trees, and their leaves turned beautiful golden yellow in the fall. I would look up at the blue sky and watch a gust of wind blow the leaves off the trees like golden rain.

Cosmos:
I enjoyed walking by a field full of cosmos on the way back from school. Hundreds of pale pink flowers nodded their heads in the breeze, while some dragonflies tried to perch on them. It was a bittersweet moment, as this marked the end of summer.

Japanese Camellia:
In the early spring, Japanese Camellia blooms in bright shades of pink and white in my grandmother's garden. I used to follow her around in the garden as she clipped a few blooms off the bush to bring them home. She's always loved her Camellia.

Today, I am taking a walk down the memory lane and reliving the wonder of my childhood. 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

Listen to the songs of your heart

I came across this youtube video the other day. It blew my mind when I saw it. 

You can also watch the video Here and Here.

This stirred something inside of me. Even though Sir. Anthony Hopkins' music was beautiful, I don't think that's exactly what moved me from deep within my heart. Perhaps it's his passion expressed in this six short minutes of performance, which created such magic.

When you share your passion with the world, you wake up others' passion that have been hibernating within them.

Because our passion is contagious.

I believe we're all vibrational beings, living with the motions of our emotions throughout the day. When we witness someone else expressing their passion, we feel our energy vibrate in the depth of our spirit. 

"Perhaps I, too, can do something like this!"

While watching the video, I felt my blood bubbling, my energy rising from within, and my fingers tingling as if they wanted to hit the piano keys right there at the moment. I closed my eyes and felt the sense of freedom that I haven't felt in such a long time. I've missed this slice of heaven I could experience right here on the earth.

So, I decided to bring our electronic piano that I put away in our storage room a while back. 

Am I crazy adding another thing to do when my plate is already full? I make art, decorate our home, craft a story for children, write blog posts, while handling all of the motherhood and household duties. 

I felt frustrated. I sometimes have to wonder what the heck God wants from me. I've uncovered all these small pieces of my passion, but they don't seem to fit together. Where am I going from here?

Then I remembered this: uncovering your true design is an ongoing process. It's a journey similar to putting together a large picture puzzle, one little piece at a time. When you need some guidance, tune into your heart and ask what makes you come alive. The whole puzzle is not going to be completed until the last day of your life. You just work on one small corner of the puzzle, one season of your life at a time. Your job is to really live that small corner, every day, to its fullest.

So, without any direction or particular purpose, I brought the piano down and hit the keys. Do I have time for this? Well, I have to make the time for it somehow. My heart sings that playing the piano is part of my true design, and I can't ignore it anymore.

When I'm playing the piano, I am free. 

Have you experienced moments like this? The moment you are filled with joy, love, and calmness all at the same time? 

What makes you feel that way? You might want to pay attention to those feelings, because that may be your heart singing a hint of your true design. 

Have you listened to the songs of your heart lately?