[.hometown.deco.]

You may consider this a ’sequel’ to the previous entry :-)

Still about the nice things I recently ‘noticed’ in my hometown. It is so interesting how things you’re focusing on suddenly pop-up everywhere and catch your attention. It becomes more interesting when you realize that those things have actually existed for long time, only that you had never noticed them before! Sounds like synchronicity.

It happened to me. A few years ago, while visiting Sweden, I was smitten by the colourful, flowery borders painted on every entrance-top at the Gothenburg City Museum (too bad taking pictures wasn’t allowed). Also, the border paintings at Swedish painter Carl Larsson’s home in Sundborn (couldn’t take pictures either). The result of this newly-found love was the inspiration for “toppers” (you can find them on my graphic sites) : the graphics that can be used to top a page or table, creating a roof-like or border images.

Much to my joy, again, I spotted these deco-details at the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta. The funny thing is, I had visited the palace many times but never paid attention to these. Even I found that the food at the palace’s restaurant was presented in a unique way (and tasted really good, too!). I was ‘culturally’ excited. Being inspired is the best experience for the artist in me. Even better it came from my own hometown :-)



The front hall of the Royal Palace



I really like the [mix-matched] patterns for the fences, pillars, tiles, roof edge...



The hall in the middle part of the palace compound. Somehow I had the impression that the deco-patterns were 'European' with 'Javanese' colours - the Royal Palace's colours.









Javanese alphabets can make a nice decoration, too :-)



Greens really dominate the colours in the royal palace - especially these particular greens (picture above, front hall of the palace's restaurant) which are used in many parts of the palace, and in many houses or buildings in town, to give a royal Javanese feeling.

pssst: my mom used the same green paints for our house. Should look for some pictures.



The food is presented in a real Javanese way : batik table cloth (in the traditional colours: white from the linen, brown and black from the wax), wooden tray with batik patterns, wooden place mat, bowl-base from vernished rattan, and stupa-inspired ceramic candle holder



Grilled cassava - reportedly the Queen's favorite snack



Another favorite...rolled banana with palm sugar

Links:
The Royal Palace of Yogyakarta: http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/places-of-interest/kraton/
The restaurant at the Royal Palace: www.yogyes.com/bale-raos

[.colours.of.the.bird.market.]

Thought it’s time to blog some things about my hometown, to give a little balance after babbling alot about graphics, designs, my life in Jakarta, and Sweden ;-)

But it’s still about colours and beautiful things. Yogyakarta is relatively a small town compared to Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta where I live now. Born there, grew up there, but living about 600 km away has taught me to see my home town from fresh, new angles and to get in touch more with the things I care about, without being burdened by the things I don’t. Yogyakarta is known as cultural city in any case, one of the must-visits for those interested in Indonesia’s cultural life.

One that came as a surprise to me was an impromptu visit to the traditional bird market. That was supposed to be ‘scientific visit’ as I was there taking two Swedish scientists (+ a colleague) looking at variety of birds that might relate to one of the scientists’ researches.

I swear I had never been inside the traditional bird market before though its location is actually within walking distance from my childhood home. Simply as a little Javanese girl I had the assumption that bird market was something accessible only for men!

When finally the group of four was inside the market, I started to have this mix feeling of familiarity from a long gone childhood and of an exciting discovery. I was instantly drawn to the market’s palette in that late afternoon and fighting with time to capture some images before the market’s deserted for a night by its occupants. And before the already scheduled ride to the airport to fly back to Jakarta.

The colourful birds and birdcages



















Loved the owls...







Bird food



Washing dishes, the market's closing

[.free.graphics.070704.]

Laughter is the best therapy! I was sick and had to stay in bed for a few days last week, and besides undergoing several therapeutic sessions, I noticed that my condition improved after having lots of big laughters as my cousins and I marathonly watched Monty Python’s Life of Brian, the Quest for the Holy Grail, and The Meaning of Life. Whoever gave that statement, I couldn’t agree more, laugther is a great therapy! My good health’s back and I feel terrific! :-)

Anyway, here come more free graphics as promised – earlier in January I planned to draw the second set of rose bears, now with red roses, but then many things happened, including the big flood – and as you might see, these seven graphics stayed in the folder. I can’t promise when the set will be ready, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy parts of it below :-)

ps: If you decide to use one of these graphics, please do not forget to provide a link back to www.amretasgraphics.com

Thank you! :-)

[.free.graphics.070626.]

Ow, blogging is so practical that as you see now I also use this blog for posting new free graphics. they will come more regularly i hope, just a few graphics per entry, and well, probably without theme! with my schedule right now I still find it difficult to concentrate and draw a set or collection. anyhow, I guess random graphics will be better than no new graphic at all ;-)

I start with these two graphics, I got a question whether the girl-with-violin graphic is available for download, since it doesn’t belong to any set or collection. well, actually I planned to add it to my updated spring collection, but here you get two of them for free, since the update is still on its way, and there will be a lot more of these in the collection.

Hope you enjoy the graphics :-)

[to dowload: right-click and choose 'save picture as' - and save it to your own harddisk]

[.happy.midsummer.]

It’s midsummer eve! I love this particular Swedish tradition celebrating the longest day of the year. It certainly doesn’t work at all in Jakarta where the sun always sets at around 6 p.m. all year round. But who can resist talking about a very beautiful day?

Where the sun shines at its brightest on a lush meadow, colourful flowers and cute wooden houses by a lake…


imagebank.sweden.se


imagebank.sweden.se

Girls with flower crowns and violins…


imagebank.sweden.se

Fresh sweet strawberries…


imagebank.sweden.se

Midsummer singing dan dancing…


imagebank.sweden.se

Wait, did I say that it didn’t work in Jakarta? I was fooling myself. Last year we were crazy enough, with the presence of the Swedish sailing ship Götheborg and her crew…





to have a maypole up, decorated with lots of flowers…



and everyone jumped in singing and dancing around the maypole…



Huge thanks everyone for sharing this unforgettable moment with us here last year! I think of you all this midsummer eve.

Glad midsommar! :-)

[.blue.green.grey.white.]

It looks like my mood today still doesn't go far from blue, green, grey and white. A little dash of red gives some fresh, uplifting accents here and there. And anyway, all these images are from Country Living, still my favorite source of inspiration for home decoration.

[.poem.for.dad.]

I subscribed to Heartwarmers and sometimes, the stories they delivered just really shot straight into my heart, at the very precise moments.

Just like the poem by James "Poppy" Kisner that came into my inbox today. Father's Day is coming up, and what I read in today's Heartwarmers, is exactly what I always want to say to my late dad, I just didn't know how. I owe you, Mr Kisner, thank you!

ALWAYS THERE
by James "Poppy" Kisner

What can I say about you dad that qualifies as praise?
The way you show your love for me in many different ways.
The words may not be spoken to express that love for me,
But I know dad you love me, it's in everything I see.

I see how hard you work to earn a living everyday,
And I know where the money goes when you receive your pay.
You take care of the family as you work to earn a living,
But more than monetarily you just can't stop from giving.

Unselfishly you sacrifice your time and energy,
And always when I need your help you still have time for me.
There's nothing you won't do for me if it is for my best,
Even times when it may seem that I am just a pest.

You've made me realize that I can always count on you,
That I will have your full support in anything that I do.
To know I have your backing when I have tried different things,
Gives me so much courage as I try to spread my wings.

Never have you wavered in responsibility,
Always being just exactly what a dad should be.
You have always been there for me and you know it's true,
That is why I say these words with pride "Dad I love you."

-- James "Poppy" Kisner



It's me with dad in October 1973 - I was 6 months old, one of my favorite baby pictures - both of us had those big smiles - one of my happiest days in my life.