Red-Orange Kusudama Origami
This is the tiniest origami flower I have made so far. Folding it has been the greatest challenge as it is difficult to fold an inch-big paper and make it relatively smaller. I colored this one with red and orange poster color to give it that more natural look. I created quite a number of this to decorate the flower box origami I made as a birthday gift to a friend.
If time would permit, I hope and pray I can do more of them, origami. 🙂
Broken Nigel
It happened a few hours before New Year. New Year’s Eve it is, a few hours before the clock struck 12 signifying the start of a new year – 2013. I never thought that it would happen. The camera has been with me for two years.
Yes, Nigel is my dslr camera. I have always loved photography and it was only recently that I have decided to start taking photos and make it as a full time hobby. Full time hobby would mean using the camera as often as I could at any given time. It served as an avenue for me to recover from a painful past.
Came our family outing wherein I was excited enough to capture the moments. It was a swimming event and everybody was busy carrying a lot of picnic stuff.
Then the unexpected happened.
We were on our way home, I was seated at the back beside my niece and I unintentionally placed the camera on top of the bags without tying the sling to the head rest of the back seat.
I didn’t hear nor feel “danger signals” at that moment and it was already too late to realize it when before I could go out of the car, “blag!” There goes my camera falling and rolling onto the pavement. My brother and Dad were both aghast when they picked up the camera. And yes, I am to blame. I was too confident that nothing will happen to my camera as I was always too cautious making sure that it is on the safe spot where it won’t get wet, where it won’t fall, etc. But you can never let your guard down, as they say.
So yes, that was the first “strike” on my camera. The LCD was broken. And I feared the worst – the camera will not be able to withstand the fall it won’t turn on anymore. But I was thankful though because the camera is inside the case and it cushioned the fall. It was the corner of the guard for the camera strap placed on top of the LCD that caused it to crack. It did turn on. And that was something I am so grateful for.
A week before I went home to Bicol, I bought an LCD cover for the camera. For almost 2 years I haven’t thought about purchasing one just until last year. Little did I know that this gut feeling/inner voice that urged me to do so is actually God trying to tell me in preparation for something big that’s going to happen.
Then a week after that, a relationship with someone very dear to me was severed. Emotional ties were tested up to the limit. It got broken too. That was a week after the incident with my camera happened. So now I was dealing with two things: an intangible and tangible one. And there’s one thing that they both have in common – both are broken. My next question then was, “why?” What is the significance of the two events? Most especially, what was God’s purpose why He made them happen?
Then it came to me that yes, both were meant to be broken. Why? I grew up to be complacent, taking things as they are, letting things stay as they are, unaware and unsuspecting of any danger. I was taken off guard, so to speak. I wasn’t able to fix both before leaving Bicol. Then there came the annual Prayer Fasting in our church. It started exactly the day when I arrived from Bicol carrying with me the “broken” stuff. The Prayer and Fasting placed me in that moment of thinking things through, asking for forgiveness, and talking to God regarding these matters.
Yes, both incidents were meant to happen upon my leaving Bicol. God reminded me what are the things needed to be “fixed” which I have started to be complacent about and start praying for it during the Prayer and Fasting. Yes, that is how amazing our God is. He leads us to the path where we should rightfully head. He sees the “strains” and the “burden” that we will carry if we do not take action and just let things dwindle along.
I went through all the hassle of having my camera checked up and was thankful when I found out that I don’t have to pay thousands and thousands of pesos to have it fixed. It was only the external LCD that was broken. Whew! Thanks to the LCD protector that I bought a week before my camera fell. It was the one thing that prevented the shock from penetrating to the interiors of the camera. It also prevented the LCD glass from shattering and falling into pieces. It was the one thing that basically held everything together.
The same thing happened to the relationship. I prayed for healing during the Prayer and Fasting. I asked for forgiveness and have sworn to let go of my pride, accept my mistakes and apologize. Yes, I may not be able to fix the relationship totally but because of God, He prevented the relationship from shattering completely into pieces. Because when that happens, it would be beyond repair.
The camera was fixed; the relationship was also fixed.
I am more than grateful to God for giving me the guidance and the discernment to follow what He wants me to do. Moreover, I am more than glad I have made the move to obey and trust Him. God is the one thing that held everything together even until now. He made it all possible so that things would be at the right track, almost perfect, and I may be at peace. More or less. 🙂
Maybe, I thought. Possible, perhaps. But YES, after they did serve my meal in a pan. 😉
Lo and behold!
Seafood Curry
Stainless pans for their seafood meals. I ordered Seafood Curry, Baked Alaskan Pollock for Dad, and since Mom and bro are not seafood lovers, they tried Grilled Chicken Peri-Peri and Barbecue Pork Ribs.
Grilled Chicken Peri-peri
Baked Alaskan Pollock
Barbecue Pork Ribs
Dressing
Iced Tea
And yes, two scoops of vanilla ice cream for dessert. *burp*
Vanilla Ice Cream
I must say that the pans added that extra “spice” to the entire dining experience. So, the next time you would want to try eating in a pan (not sure though if it’s fresh from the stove. *wink*), Fish & Co. is definitely the place to eat “seafood in a pan.”
Fork on a Table
Fish & Co.
Oh and wait, they have a giveaway too – mint-flavored candies.
Sweet, isn’t it? 😉
Candy Mint
When things get really serious and heavy to carry, this is how I digress – either I write, do arts, or play music and just recently, make crafts.
It became a newest past time for me and my sister. She made the really difficult butterfly origami (see photo below). Very pretty they are, aren’t they? I believe I’ll learn this another time as it is far too intricate for me. 😀
Swallowtail Butterfly Origami by my sister Ate Abeden
Before starting, I first practiced making a lily origami using a colored art paper through a Youtube tutorial – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWylGb8EyQw.
There are thousands of tutorials to choose from on origami-making uploaded in Youtube and I must admit I really had a hard time choosing which one should I do first as I wanted to learn all of them. I first made the single petal lily and the multiple petal next. It took me a whole lot dozen of them before I finally memorized the procedure without referring to the video.
Patience is a virtue, indeed. 😉
Lily Origami in Art Paper
After making them, my sister and I thought we wanted to make our origami crafts more “personalized” so we have decided to use a white paper instead of the regular colored art paper and painted them using poster color.
White paper and Poster Color
We allowed it to dry for a couple of minutes before starting to fold.
Two-tone
I used pink for the primary color of my lily and lavender as an undertone brushing with left to right strokes. Of course, a flower cannot stand alone so I made the stem origami using a color green art paper and a flower box origami using a black special paper.
This is the final result. Do make your own personalized origami as well. I assure you, it is so much fun. Enjoy! 🙂
Multi Petal Lily Origami and Flower Box Origami
Pink Rose
I would like to start this post with my warmest congratulations and a note of gratitude to my friend and fellow blogger miles and miles away across where I am now – ajaytao. 🙂
Ajay, I have been one of your constant followers and I must say that in as many ways as you can, you have definitely touched a lot of lives, inspired a lot of people and brought joy to many all around the world through your posts.
I know this will never be enough to thank you for all that you have done but please bear in mind that we, your followers, can attest to how much have you contributed in making everyone see the world in a whole lot of different perspectives.
Our prayers are with you always, Ajay. Be happy always. 🙂
I would like to acknowledge the privilege that you have given for nominating me for 3 awards as well. I am truly honored to be chosen by one of the best bloggers here in WordPress. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I definitely will pay it forward. 🙂
The Versatile Blogger Award
Inner Peace Award
Most Influential Blogger Award
“Moonlight By The River” 2013
Finally had the time to finish another art work. Thanks to Scott’s post for giving me the ‘nudge’ to start working with my colored pencils. 😉
I used colored pencils and black paper with silver speckles that now looked like gleaming stars. Ahhh yes, more to learn, more to improve. 🙂
Tiny Butterfly
I often wondered how fragile these small butterflies are (only about half an inch big) and how fortunate I am to capture moments like this one seeing them perched on a leaf or a twig before they set off to their endless flights roaming around nature’s bounty.
As technology advances each and every single day, the role of each and every single thing in this world, living or non-living, becomes not just as a part of an ordinary food chain, food web, habitat or niche, but yes, as something to marvel at and celebrate its beauty amid the vast expanse of grandiosity and extravagance.
That is, as captured subjects underneath that lens – photography.
Yes, mediocrity is where I intend to be bright and bold like this teeny, weeny butterfly. The mediocre – “peace and quiet.” 🙂
“Lighted Candle”
For the past few months, I have dwelt on only one question: “why?”
But it is not for me to question what God’s plans are for me. Nor is it right for me to contemplate on it and doubt. But then again, I am sure about 3 things:
1. I was meant to experience what I have experienced for the past weeks and months.
2. I was meant to be where I am right now.
3. I was meant to do what I am doing now.
Now, it all became clear to me. The answers to my “whys” were given. I have asked God to prepare me and to equip me. And He did.
Experience is the best teacher, as they say. God gave me circumstances to make me realize that last semester was not the right time for me to pursue my thesis in my grad study but this semester. He gave me a job while I am doing my graduate study to prepare me emotionally, mentally and spiritually for what is to come. And lastly, He planned my stay in my job as short-lived because I have a prior commitment, which is, being a Family Support Volunteer in the Community Outreach Ministry.
I guess it all boils down to one thing – like a flame in a candle, keep your faith burning. Surely, it’ll lead you out of the darkness. 🙂
Peekah and Peekie (2 months old, when I found them)
Peekah and Peekie (4 months old)
Sleeping Princesses
Rise and shine little darling!
Siesta Time
Peekah: Sleep any way I want.
Got yah!
At the back of the apartment. Let’s catch that leaf!
Peekie
Hey, what’s up?
Clean-up time.
Hi! My name is Peekah and this is my sister Peekie. It has been 7 months since our Mommy adopted us. We eat rice, fish and Whiskas and though we meow quite a lot before feeding time, Mommy makes sure we follow our eating schedule during 9AM, 1PM and 5PM everyday. We love to play hide and seek and wrestle with one another.
One day, Peekie and I got so carried away playing we started to mess around with Mommy’s plants. When Mommy got home and saw the torn leaves of her plants, she got so angry that she scolded us for disobeying and to discipline us. After that, we never played with the plants and inside the pots anymore.
We love our Mommy so much that’s why we obey her from now on and she loves us so much too! 🙂
Chinese Old Man and Little Boy Marble Bric-A-Brac
I was rummaging through my old photos and found this – a photo of a bric-a-brac that serves as a memorabilia of my ancestors. A few months back, I was looking for a subject to shoot at and stumbled upon Mom’s collection.
She loves collecting antiques. Being the inquisitive me, I find pleasure adoring the marvelous carvings of every sculpture.
If there’s another hobby that I would like to learn, it would be sculpting. Isn’t it amazing how sculptors can create a miniature, 3-dimensional replica of a particular figure that is very well-proportioned?
Yes, they say it is all about proportion and an eye for the aesthetics. These are the creations made possible by them whom we call, “the artists.”
This is a masterpiece that is quite hard to achieve but interesting to learn. Indeed, having this skill is a gift. ☺
For more photography ideas, you can read through this article: Beauty Captured Through A Lens: My Photo Collection
The Journeyman's Moments 