blooms and drawings...

our sunflowers are blooming and our first poppy too!

there was a little visitor inside...

hello poppy!

the moon and the sea...i am created something between the two soon..

a sweet magpie holding an apple with a tiny mandrake friend. i drew it specifically for magpies and apples (for the header).

a bear for kiva

Here's the little art I did for Kiva Rose...





Ink on drawing paper I tea stained and burned edges...

in the clouds and in the herbs

We went to Sprouts Farmers Market the other day and though we were on a budget, I managed to get two tinctures (on sale!) that I have been wanting. I got licorice because it was one of the first herbs I read about that helps with some of my acid reflux issues and I recently found out that it also good for chronic fatigue syndrome. That's a great two in one punch for me because I am always tired and was diagnosed with Epstein Barr than CFS years ago.

The second tincture I got is a nettle blend which I got specifically for Rick and Nat with all their allergies and congestion issues. Nettle is also good for a host of other things too so I will also be using it as well.

In other news, I've been doing a few trades lately and have been blessed with such wonder and creativity from other women.

I got a delightful perfume and lovely earrings from a new friend and kindred spirit, Helena of Owlchemy (and of Beyond the Thicket). I've received apple leaves and bark and apple twig brandy from the ever so knowledgeable Ms. Kiva Rose and today I received a lovely little package from Maria Isabel of Nido En Las Nubes. The owl pin Nat and I both adore but I have to give in to Nat a bit, so now she has her very own Nido En Las Nubes necklace! ;)

our sunflowers grow!

in july we found our first little apricot sunflowers sprouts and my, how they have grown since then!!






(natalie actually took this photo!)





we also transplanted a few cosmos seeds we planted a couple of weeks ago..


and out little tea tin of sage..

san mateo and san clemente

this past weekend we were blessed to be able to spend time camping with some friends from church. we set up tent at san mateo and went to the beach in san clemente. here. just a few pictures, the rest i've put up on my facebook...

my soccer girl

last week was nat's first soccer practice...i'm very exicted for her!







i can't believe she is this big now...

natalie and her ruthie

an herbal day

Yesterday I finally made a couple of herbal things. First I combined dried chamomile flowers with vodka and in a month I will have my first chamomile tincture.



I only had enough for a little bit but I am greatly looking forward to it. Chamomile is a wonder herb, helping with so many different ailments. I am especially going to use it to assist with my GERD and digestive issues.



Kiva Rose hosted an awesome herbal blogparty where I got the chamomile tincture from Methow Valley Herbs. I want to try all those great links but had to work with what I already have on hand. The next thing I put together is a sweet herbal oil using cardamom, anise and grapeseed oil. I got the recipe from Ananda of Plant Journeys.



It looks like she is pretty excited about it too!

We've also been mixing a few herbs for tea. The other day we made apple leaf/twig, chamomile, nettle and lemon balm tea with cinnamon honey (and the cinnamon sticks all nice and sweetly sticky with the honey too)! very good...

Making things with herbs is so much fun! Last but not least, I created yet another flickr group, called The Flower Apothecaire (After the tumblr diary I have of the same name). So, come along and join in the herbal fun if you like. Happy Friday!

consolidation...

I've decided to consolidate.

I have too many places and I am not sure I can keep stretching myself.

I've decided to boil things down and stay here and at dreamwidth.

I will no longer update owlacrobat at livejournal with duplicate entries

and littlebighead will just be directed this way since I share all my art here anyway.

I feel good about the decision, I will visit my friends at livejournal from time to time

but I just needed to make things a bit easier.

In other news, I made my first tincture and sweet herbal oil today! Pictures will be posted soon :)

climbing trees and other things..

Yesterday we waited until late afternoon and took a small trip to the nearby regional park.

We found some perfect trees for her to begin to learn how to climb them. At first, she needed assistance but she was eager to continue to learn.

I love being there. Living in the suburbs, you need an escape where there are more trees to explore, more life around you other than people, more textures, more sights, more sounds from nature itself.

Climbing on her own

a blackbird seems to wonder

I like to believe these three are chatty sisters, talking non stop about others around the pond and all the strangers without feathers who come by..

a little ghostie i drew on fallen bark

a moment of triumph and respite

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. --Anne Frank