Attic Asian Art Finds

At the beginning of the summer Anson and I moved into a house. The house itself is almost 40 years old, made sometime in the 70's. The owner is a sweet man and said that we could have anything in the attic. Well as all moves are it takes a little while to settle in and get comfy so it wasn't until last month that we really began digging around up there. Lots of empty boxes and cardboard, some broken down boxes we can use for our next move as well, three typewriters (not even sure if they work), a couple of lamps that hang from the ceiling, some old light fixture covers and... paintings! Well, ok, I should say "A painting" and some other framed art, but still, what a find! I fell in love with it instantly! The photos do not do it justice.

It's an oil on canvas by NK. Kampan, a Thailand painter in the 1950-80's. I found hardly anything about him except a post on an art forum from his son, Palapan Kampan.

"...the full name of nk. kampan was Nikit Kampan. He was born in the southern of Thailand. He had never studied art in any school but with his talent he had become a front runner artist of Thailand. Before he began a professional artist he had ever been a teacher in a private school. He had ever narrated to me that he hoped to become a professional artist so he resigned from that school. He began creating his art works and trying to sell on street.

He told me that on the first year no one bought any of his work. in the second year, he intended to quit but the first picture had been bought by an american soldier ( during in vietnam war ). having known the style of his customers. Then he geared to response his customers. At the first decade he painted only water color picture. He change his painting style to oil color and never back to paint water color again.

He work in a Carrier of artist for more than 40 year. he died in 1993 by lung cancer. The number of his pictures was around 20,000 pieces. Almost of them scattered in america, Europe, and some part of Asia..." Palapan Kampan

Unfortunatly as you can see in the photo the bottom of the frame has had some watter damage. I think that I can replace the matt with some new upholstery fabric since it seems that is all that is damaged or perhaps take it to a professional framer and have it fixed. I tried to clean it with a damp cloth but it has been stained for too long.

Here it is again hanging over our mantle but without the flash.

 Also the three other framed pieces that I found as well. They look to be from from S. East Asia since the dancers resemble Javanese or Balinese dancers in traditional dress. Could use some cleaning (in these photos I had just taken them down from the attic). The frames also match the oil painting, interestingly enough, though I don't think they are works by Kampan, and none of them are dated or signed.

(a close up of one)

Jeans Project

For the longest time I've been saving my old jeans... for what I didn't know until I had the idea that a picnic blanket would be the perfect project. Since it was such a fun project I thought I would post it on here for others to see and enjoy.

The original project I found here at AllPeopleQuilt.com, though I did make some modifications of my own such as adding an extra row and column to the quilt making it a square wider and longer. Since my husband is so tall I didn't want his feet hanging off in the grass! Also instead of batting I used a thicker fabric (corduroy) for the backing and left out the batting all together. The finished quilt is already thick enough without some extra batting. And basting I just tied the two layers together at the intersections of the squares.

With the leftover material I made a bag to carry it in as well! And there are still jeans left!


One comment on cutting your jeans: I included lots of seams and pockets since I didn't want to waste any extra material and yet it is still so comfy to sit on! The pockets and designs will be fun for little kids to explore as well!

5 months

Today we are celebrating 5 months of being married! In a way it still seems just like yesterday we were engaged, eagerly waiting for August 30th to arrive, and in other ways I feel like I have known this man for years and years! It's not been an easy month. Tomorrow ends our fast, Anson has been fasting from several things the main thing being from food, and I have taken things like movies and computer games out of my life for a little while. God has taught us both a lot of things here in the past few weeks. He has taught me to trust in Him more and more. To love Him first, fully and completly. To forgive and trust that He has everything under control. Oh what a powerful God we serve!


"His divine power has given us everything we need for
life and godliness through our knowledge of him who
called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these
he has given us his very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate in the divine
nature and escape the corruption in the world caused
by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your
faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to
knowledge, self-control; and to self-control,
perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to
godliness, brotherly kindness;and to brotherly kindness,
love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing
measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and
unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and
blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from
his past sins.

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make
your calling and election sure. For if you do these things,
you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome
into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 1:3-11

Naomi
listening to "An Ocean of Memories" by James Horner
& reading 1 John & Stranger in a Strange Land

A long time...

It has been a long time since I last wrote on here. Yesterday it snowed here in Raleigh for the first time this year. It was so pretty yesterday, now it's melting away and isn't so pretty anymore. I'm ready for it to be spring, for warm weather!

Naomi