Audrey Kawasaki

 "Hitorigoto" ひとり言 soliloquy 16"x20" 

Audrey Kawasaki's artwork first captured my attention when I was perusing GelaSkins for laptop decals.  After looking through their artist series, I discovered this LA-based artist whose artwork is a sensual mix of traditional Japanese mythology, manga, Art Nouveau, and natural organic scenes. In using natural wood as her canvas, the warmth gleams through her artwork and adds a special ambiance to it. I love the delicate, moody atmosphere her art exhibits. Truly beautiful. 

 Hyakki Yakou 

"Kazamachi" 風待ち waiting 30"x30"

Yuuwaku

Street Sign Art in the East Village

Innocuously placed below a pedestrian street crossing sign. 

Gotta love the slogan: "When the bombs are fallin' don't come callin'!"

Happy Chinese New Year!

Still recovering from Chinese New Year celebrations in New York over the weekend. For Chinese New Year, it's auspicious to tidy up your house, dress up, and go out and have a good time out! (OK, I just made up the last two) but Chinatown was so pretty and ready to rock the Year of the Tiger. Confetti poppers, FIVE different Lion Dance performance troupes, and loads of people just taking in the human spectacle. Good times, good food. Sharing my weekend snapshots via Toy Camera app, iPhone.

Champagne Nails

Take a shimmery Champagne nail polish, layer with pink glitter polish, repeat and bam! My nails' be popping. Neutral Glam? The color is not too distracting while I'm pecking at the keyboards at work but still noticeably prettier then the usual Essie nail polish I use.  Photos shot with a Canon PowerShot G10 using the macro setting for close-up views.   

Valentine's Day Flowers are the Best

iPhone self-portrait via ToyCamera app


"Everyone needs beauty as well as bread" -  John Muir
This is a special post right in time for Valentine's Day.  I'm not the sappy type but I have to say I was really happy when my BF arranged a surprise delivery of my favorite flowers  – ranunculus flowers mixed with roses and tulips–  to me at school. Since I've been hard at work, away from him, it felt really, really, really good to know he was thinking of me from afar. 


 You see, I'm the chatty type and my tall, quiet, stoic BF has heard me ramble on and on  about how much I adore peonies and ranunculus flowers but he usually keeps mum (I can really count on one hand how many time he's given me flowers). This time, I was floored.  This bouquet of flowers brought some beauty into my life where, sometimes, living in New York on a tight budget away from family and friends, can feel quite lonely. Cheers to you, BF.  I <3 you.  So, dearly devoted readers, as inspiration, I say, pay it forward. Give a compliment to a stranger or flowers to family/friends, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a crazy commercial holiday. You never know what a person feels like on the inside and how a small action can mean alot. This really brightened up my day. 
Ranunculous/Roses/Tulip Bouquet by Adore Floral, Noho, NYC.

Hang this on your wall designers: Killer Jellyfish of Graphic Design Favors

Killer Jellyfish of Graphic Design Favors

Originally uploaded by lunchbreath

Read it. Memorize It. Eek, eek, eek.
Try to avoid the Killer Jellyfish of Graphic Design Favors. via Flickr, free.

Pick Me Up Mondays : Home Is Where the Heart Is

This heart-shaped welcome mat makes me feel bitter sweet since I'm in a long-distance relationship. Yes, going home would be nice for Valentine's Day. Spotted at Design Milk:

home is where the heart is doormat via Chiasso, $24