Finding peace for myself

I was finding some peace for myself and what I get is ever greater than that!

What can I say? I had such a beautiful day! I woke up early in the morning and said to myself: "Forget the bad week and have fun!"

And I did.

After three hours traveling from school to the orphanage that AIS has been supporting, I was rewarded with great time just playing and cuddling and feeding cute little babies. Taking photographs, play and dance and talk to kids. I took over 400 photos of all these kids who was hugging me, holding my hand, sing with me, play with me, talk to me, smile at me, laugh with me, even make me blow my guts off many many balloons, and are just adorable to me. I enjoyed and have just so much fun this time for many time I've been here and I can't help but say thank you to these adorable cuties, for making my day the best! I feel so much better after being terribly sick and whatever I've done (that was horrible to people) while being one sickie.

(Sorry I know I'm just horrible)

I can't wait to see them again!

We hit the road and I did this drawing of this little girl who loves dancing so much!

They inspired me!

Totally blob-ing

Yuppi I know this is what I've been saying ever since I STARTED blogging again, but seriously isn't fishes fun to draw? (and easier to amuse yourself?) Right! I'm that weird girl with "fishy" problem and here is ANOTHER fishy drawing.... (sorry sorry xDD Bare with me!)

No post because of busy busy school and I've been running down on a fever the past 4 days *terrible* I'm getting better and thought I should share something for the week here.

Going to Cambodia next week!

...........

P/s: is there such thing as Blob-ing? Eunice thinks it reminds her of me hahha... Oh I have to go to school now xD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIDEO! YAY

A little Eco-friendly wrapping present for one of my bestest friend in the whole world - It's Eunice's birthday today! Yay! Though I feel sorry for my neglected brain to not have any proper wrapping paper and so I've managed to try and wrap it with paper and some little decoration - ropes and leaves.

Our alien photo of Eunice's birthday bash at MOF!

She didn't want to make such a big deal out of it :D

!HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY!

May I present you to the lifeless video around!

HAVE A BLAST ;D

Traditional Arts

Going to Ben Thanh market with my mum like usual, I bought this Matryoshka Doll today! I'm loving it! I still remember my first Matryoshka when I was little and I always play with it. Mum gave me a barbie doll and I pulled its head out in one minute (haha I know I'm violent?) But with this Babushka (what I called it), it never was damaged and I've always been amazed with it :) Just one sad thing, I don't know how we lost it...

Babushka is Russian nesting doll if you're wondering.

A little fun video about my new Babushka.

This Babushka is Vietnam made so it's not the same as I remember.

Anyway, along with this Babushka, I bought some Vietnam hand-painted traditional mask.

Isn't it amazing?

Life is wonderful when Art is preserved and kept for everyone to enjoy.

These masks have a tradition, a tell and so I hope you enjoy my post today!

Today was a beautiful day for me. We went out with Ghaidaa family. They are great and also, it was the first time I've ever been into the Muslim mosque. Quite an extraordinary day to be in the mosque and meet muslims... hmm thinking I should be doing my h/w now right?

It's time to cheer myself up!

"I'm not gonna do any work today because it is my birthday!"

Such a long time for a new post and new art. I've been having headache all week and back to school meaning more works so... I'm sorry for my probably weird act around everyone. May I introduced a new project called "No Work" (or at least until I find a better name for it :) Eunice, this is a special piece made for your early birthday! Cheers!

I said that before I've an idea but couldn't find the perfect character. Well, this is it! SURPRISE! I'm happy to see this series started and I'll continue Sally sometime later also. I guess you know already where the idea for this series come from - just see how much I've depressed you through my words.

I send this to Nicole to thanks her for her beautiful gift for me, to celebrate her wedding and her new life being a full-time artist. This is an illustration of my favourite place to paint.

I'm also happy to be back on the drums and joining a new band. These is keeping me happy through the end of the week and so is Emu's hug. I really need them! :) To be honest, at the start I really didn't even have a tiny bit confident in myself... blankly nothing...

!Nice weekend!

FREE THE MIND

I love this, I just love the word!

Back to school! This term is gonna be hard, and I need to find a solution to my sleepiness in class, one way or another to at least understand math and of course finish all my homework on time. I love taking photograph (not myself), it's fun and relaxing, and I get to try, a lens camera today. Great!

This week theme is Little Things

Here are the best out of 117 photos I took :D and with a little touch of iPhoto

VIETNAMESE PRIDE

Geezzz look at those eyes :)

Colourful!

I hate to say but I've been having this massive headache all day, and it just really bug me! I know it's because of my stupid sensitive nose. Weather change and nosebleed... urggh seriously anyone want to switch nose? :P

Visit our website: http://aissaigonphotography.blogspot.com/

Photos will be upload everyweek.

Beauty in my heart

I've had problem finding myself lately and just as yesterday, I had to do a poster for science about a future world from my imagination, I finally draw something that I at least like. It's not "perfect" yet (for me) but I enjoyed it and also had come through drawing and painting a few more. Up there is a sneak into my future world. It is just a small little detail which I love most from the big complicated drawing xD I'm hoping to actually try this - having tea on a tree cafe :D I'm sending some little art to celebrate someone who is now a full-time artist, living in CA. And so that mark I've been doing this weekend.

It's also my best friend - Phuong Ngan from primary - birthday today, and sadly, I couldn't come and celebrate with her. Nhung and Ngan were my two gossip girls from primary and well they are great fun! I can still remember how we used to have sleep over at my house and how much we loveeeeee playing the Sim :)... Oh Such great memories

HERE IS TO MY FRIEND BIRTHDAY AND SORRY THAT I COULDN'T COME!

HAPPY BLOODY BIG BIRTHDAY!!!

Good old time...

I've just been looking through some old photos and I sure miss the good old time.

Like this time, we were so bored. We painted the lab table.

or this time I made MrGill aka Super Scissorsman clay animation for his birthday...

or a crazy photo ...

or my cutie little long lost kitten :(...

or clipping a pinky hair clip on my friend - Christian...

or wearing red dress playing the drums...

or total failure at XoneFM recording...

found out how much I hated Model UN...

music request for Valentine's day...

or late birthday's present from Emu...

or going to an orphanage...

or going on a cyclo with my two friends - Kiki and Ali (one cyclo.. poor the old man)

or a birthdays of the term bash...

or a saturday out with Eunice and made a stupidly cool card...

or a model wanna be xD...

There are more but I'll end this post by a photo of me and my best friend when I was little. She is the best :) (we were just finish doing an Indian dance!)

LOVE

xx

Watermelons

A little too addicted to WATERMELON? :D

Okay... I admitted it! I loveeee Watermelon. I can totally swallow a watermelon a day :D haha I eat em in the morning, at lunch, at dinner, at night. xDDD but DO NOT EVER GIVE ME MELON! I hate those yucky yellow stuff... You've gotta admit watermelon is so refreshing and more effective and healthy than coffee right?

Anyway, I got a drawing from my friend Jem, for the challenge of Circles. Here it is :)

It's time to stop depressing myself and get some work done!

Stop and Wait

I did this wordy drawing with a reason. If you've been following my blog then you would know that I've had trouble drawing lately because I really don't know what to draw and I try and try and try... Sometimes it's not about doing and trying, it really is about waiting!

Trust me, I know. People may tell you like they tell me, if you want something then do it! Yes that's true and it is an important step, in the case of I want to learn better or I want to do something big. That's when you start making small achievement for the big goal ahead of you. But with art and finding inspiration, it's not very much easy. When I try to look for something inspiring, I usually can't. I feel stuck and it's meaningless. Today, thinking about why I can't find anything meaningful to draw, I finally see that waiting for that meaningful thing to come and inspire me, it is more meaningful than ever trying to find that inspiration. I'm not saying stop trying and doing, I'm saying sometimes you've gotta stop and wait, because inspiration comes unexpectedly.

KNOW WHEN TO STOP

One way of getting ideas is to doodle. I love doodling and I do it all the time, anywhere and everywhere at any time. It helps you relax not focusing on anything in particular and you might find what you need with just a pen and a piece of paper.

I haven't find a new idea yet and all I've been doing is doodle, like the one above.

Yes, keep trying (it's important) but don't try too hard to think about it.

Relax, have fun and enjoy creating something new!

Lazying around...

What I was doing on Monday at MOF... Drawing with My Linh.

Lazying on my bed all day, watching CSI and waiting till the right time to go swimming... Still I can't talk myself into doing my H/W. Giving myself excuses all the time xD haha They were right about calling me a pig... I should've planned my holiday better :( but really first thing mum didn't give me a chance going anywhere then what should I've planned?

Yesterday...

I'm so... random!

This is a post sum up for yesterday.

MLinh and I went out to get some stuff and spend some time "not in the house". It was great. I bought a cute top, 1 black and 1 white tee (we'll see what I did with the white one later) I also bought a book at PNC up in Saigon Centre. Apparently they re-opened after a while disappearing from the building. That's before we went to saigon square where I bought those tops and then went to Ben Thanh's market to buy a blue Coraline-looking wig for ML. I found those fishy pocket at BT and was so surprised haha. Anyway, on the way back to Sushi express (our plan) I ran into Emu and her cousin-Kim looking for some artwork. Gotta say I've got some good eyes because just as my unconscious brain plan to step one foot ahead, I realised that was Megan.

So we stopped, she introduced me and ML to her cousin and we have some big hugs and some weird talk after a while :D MOF again after that with the two... It was wonderful to see Emu and Kim. They are enjoying the fishy lives at NT now... urrghh (meaning I wanna go xD) ML and I went to Xuan Thu and I FOUND AN ALL BLANK PAGES NOTEBOOK!!! Not that quality paper like a moleskin book but I can make notes and it was sooo freaking cool that we've found it while I was looking for a teNeues calender book. Like everyyear, I kept a calender notebook to keep track of what I've to do, important events and stuff. Not a detail schedule book...

Drawing in the book

About the shirt... I wore it and it was so boring and I feel fat wearing it XDDD hahaha so I grab some paint to draw something on but failed. Grab the nearest brush and what I get was some interesting looking patterns... Paint blobs everywhere. It kinda is a vintage look shirt isn't it? Me likey!

PS: Tell me if you know where to buy fabric dye? I don't plan on this but I can make a shirt like this for you 60,000 vnd or less if you're giving me your own shirt. It will look a little different of course.

Be with the fish

I have something great to tell you today!

I WENT SWIMMING!!!

Finally, I kicked myself hard enough to go swimming. 2 hours-60 laps!!! haha I'm so happy that I exhausted myself today. Yup I beat myself YAY (hopefully a good sleep tonight)

Oh I forgot I'm back to Saigon yesterday, and planning on going somewhere next week which I should've planned out first before MY HOLIDAY COME! I'm so stupid xDDD Anyway if I can I'll be in Laos on a tour but if not I'll be around in the South of Vietnam... May be Mekong river? Anyway wanna come with me? Tell me if you wanna "getaway" from Saigon and your parent! xD jk jk

I haven't been drawing mucho and not happy about that. BUT I have an idea for my new project just haven't figure my "one-in a life time" character. So here is another Sally and this is from the Sally's project-a markbook (well all the i'm sure I love doing!) xD I swear I'll do 60 laps of swimming everyday this week or more if I have time :D

GOODNIGHT MATE!

Tips for the next swim:

1. Pick someone in the pool and race with them. (someone who is better than you) You will get so much faster! That's what I always do :D
2. I know people have been telling me how easy freestyle is but I just can't do it. But other than that I can do breast stroke better than many people xD so in conclude I am very proud of them and sad of other things I can't do... xD
3. Set a goal like 20 laps per day. Don't stop until you've reach your goal because like running if you stop you will never get back on as fast as you could (not true not true xD)
4. Oh and one more, try this close your eyes and imagine you are swimming with fishes or just anything you like :D work like a charm! No more tiring or boring endless laps :D

PS: I've received a little message from my old math teacher, Mr Wong and it really helps me to stay positive these days... Seirously where did I go?

"You r one student I can truly say that you are really really enjoying being in AIS. You are always positive and happy and I am so pleased to see you smiling and always have something positive to say. Well done to one of my favourite students."

WWF Passport

(Some weird looking turtle I doodled :D)

There is so much I want to do but as little as I am, there is not much to be done. I want to help to get the right for children, to go to school, to have a bright future ahead, as the wild animals to be able to survive in the hard environment we are making them live in, to save the earth's "cancer". Join me with passport if you are interested in helping our planets and wild animals protection. I joined this for one year now and I think it is quite trustful what I do here. I can't donate money but by signing petition, I am contributing a small effort to help save these wonderful creatures! Looking forward to join the Youth Volunteer Programme ... :-)

http://www.passport.panda.org/

In need of sleep...

I am in DESPERATE for a good night sleep!!!

Yesterday constant awaking already bugged me. It's 2 am in the morning and out of the blue, I was so awake! No matter how hard I tried, I could not go back to sleep... so I'm writing this post at 5 am. I am telling you, it is the most restless when you are so tired that you can't sleep. I NEED SLEEP! I'm so gonna kill myself this holiday (that's not true! I'm a wuss, I won't be doing that but just a saying...)

A boring video for a boring day

Out of my boring day in Dalat, I found something to do. And this is what I did, I took random photos and made em into a short film...

As much as I want to draw something, I can't. I'm so frustrated. It's really hard to find any inspiration or any actual sense of creating something. I think I need to go swimming for 2 hrs or at least get a good walk in town in Saigon. I don't feel like I am up to anything. Nothing fun. Just feel like I'm a lazy fat pig, so stupid and dumb... I'm ... hmm depressed, and I want to go home.

This is tonight alone dinner. I specifically told her to not put any chicken in my bowl because I find it offended the chickens we raised in our backyard (as you see in my vid)... Anyway, after everyone left the house, I took all the chicken pieces in my bowl out!

Everyone left the house so I'm basically home alone and I'm enjoy the moment. Sitting outside in the cold weather with my mac at 84% battery :) It's raining though...