Children Book - The World of Eric Carle

I'm a mother of two beautiful girls who love to read - well, I'm the one who read to them, but they love books. And I must admit I lovepicking children books for them. One of my favorite writers/artists for children book is Eric Carle. His book is full of colors and different shapes and funky animals and flowers. His world is so unique and filled with fantasies - I love his drawings.

My children pretty much growing up seeing his art along with his stories and learning numbers or concept of shapes, etc. So I decided to share some of the books that my daughters own in their bookshelf.

My Very First Book of Numbers: This is such a cute book - you have to match the numbers and the fruits. This is the book my daughters first learned numbers.

ABC: Cute alphabet book with fantastic pictures - I think our book is missing Y and Z because our youngest daughter ripped it while reading it (or should I say playing?).. The Sounding Block: It makes sounds when you put the right animals together - oh boy, the girls loved it so much!!!! It's a great baby shower gift too:)

A House for Hermit Crab: One of my daughters' favorite story - my daughter already knows every word by heart... Cute Cute story..

The Tiny Seed: This is another favorite story of the girls - very sentimental though.. The Very Hungry Catapillar: Oh boy oh boy, don't we all love this book??? It's so cute and I still remember my oldest used to cheer for joy every time we read the last part -- the butterfly!!!!!

Flash Cards: They are all wrinkled and bend because we played with the cards so many times...

Opposites: Interesting way to learn the concept of "opposites" - "old - young" "tall - short" - and the pictures are awesome!

**My Wish List***

The books listed below are my wish list - I want to get them for my daughters. They are fairy new and the colors are so pretty too. I can't wait to read to the girls (I enjoy it as much as they do too)..

So, tell me - what was your favorite book to read growin up???

The Beauty of Origami

I'm originally from Japan and grew up folding papers and create different kind of stuff: Crane, Flowers, Heart, Boxes, etc. Children in Japan know how to do it - it's no brainer. I'm amazed how I used to be able to make everything that's on here.

My daughters love origami. My mother in Japan sent me tons of origami paper and the book (Disney princess theme) for them to learn how to fold simple stuff. I'm grateful because I'm relearning the beauty of origami. Although I'm teaching my girls how to make animals or boat or castle, they're teaching me to patience or the things I forgot to make. The only thing I will never forget to make is "Crane" - it's basic, but it's something I showed my daughters for the first time which they showered me with "make it again, make it again!!"

So, do you know how to origami?

Designer Sketches

I always enjoy looking at sketches created by designers. The sketch shows designer's personality and style. I like the way they draw the sketches or the way the final product turn out - it's amazing.

Think about it - isn't it just wonderful that your imagination can take you to a place where you create such a beautiful dress?

Bella's wedding dress from Twilight...

Designer Tilda Swinton

One of my favorite designers Phillip Lim



*** The sketches below are created for Michelle Obama for inauguration

Michael Kors - I love the blue...

Diane von Furstenberg

Mark Jacobs - This sketch was something I didn't expect from Mark Jacobs.





Badgley Mischka

Oscar de La Renta & Isaac Mizra

Christian Lacroix

Betsey Johnson
Jason Wu's sketch is one of my favorite sketches of all the designers. He did indeed design Michelle Obama's inauguration's dress below..

Vintage Disney

The other night, I went to see "The Princess and The Frog" with my family. Both of my daughters were so happy and we all enjoyed the movie very much....

Disney's princess movies are all cute and heartwarming and I grew up seeing "Snow White" "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderalla" myself, wishing my dreams upon a star. When the world has tremendous negative influence on children nowadays, seeing a movie like "The Princes and The Frog" makes me appareciate beautiful art like Disney creates.

I decided to browse through some of Disney's old films online and I came across these sites that sell vintage Disney movie's cels. I like everything that says "Vintage", but old Disney films are the best... I would love to own one of these one day and put it up on the wall (I added the price to show you how expensive these can be!)

Mickey: $5,500

TInkerbell: $12,500

Sleepy: $7,500

Fantasia: $2,950 (1940)

Wicked Witch: $1800 (1937)

What is your favorite Disney character?

Paul & Chase

No, I'm not painting for Chase bank. I'm currently working on three paintings and two of them; "Paul" and "Chase" are almost done. My friend and my sister have ordered as Christmas gift for their friend and family.

My friend C wants "Paul" that goes well with her friend's little boy's room which is {Star Wars} bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. I have done a good job so far and I hope they'll like it.


{Paul's room}







Now, my sister wanted me to paint something for her brother in law's (her husband's younger brother) newborn "Chase" for Christmas gift. The color request was "green" and "yellow" and something that look like the bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. She wanted me to draw Turtle instead of little chicks or sheeps.


{Chase's room}

All photos from Pottery Barn Kids.


I will post the final product photos when I'm done paiting which will take another three days. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it!

xoxo

Photography

I constantly try to find the ideas for my paintings and artwork. I grew up surrounded by two professional photographers; my grandpa and my dad. So, watching them taking beautiful pictures had shaped who I am. Yes, I love photography.

A photo can tell a million stories. And it's so magical.

I've seen so many beautiful photography throughout my life and there are many amazing photographers for whom I adore. One of my favorite photographers is Anne Leibovitz. She is so popular that I'm sure most of you've seen her work at least once somewhere in the magazines.

I'm an Anne Leibovitz fan because she's taken the world of photography to the limit and created a world of her own that many of us had never seen before. I always grab the issue of Vanity Fair when it features Hollywood stars that are shot by Anne.

Her photography is a total creation of photography and fantasy - it's just amazingly beautiful. I wonder what it's like to be in front of her camera...








{All Photography By Anne Leibovitz}

And another photographer I adomire is Herb Ritts(1952 - 2002), a fashion photographer who had shot so many Hollywood celebrities including Madonna. He shot iconic photographs in black and white - his work was simple and yet powerful. I love his photography.




{All Photography By Herb Ritts}

One of my all tme favorite music videos is Janet Jackson's "Love Will Never Do" directed by Herb Ritts. He was truly a talented artist. I'm sure you've seen it before. It's the best and the sexiest video ever. Beautiful song = Beautiful video. BTW, Antonio Sabato Jr. was freaking HOT!