scenes from an early summer week

Summer Vacation has officially begun and the weather still hasn't quite caught up to the fact. I love it though, June Gloom is a favorite 'season' of mine. It's a wonderful feeling, having the windows opened in early morning and that sweet chilly breeze wafts into the room.  June has afforded me some great moments, in both the big things and the small. As always, I see His work being orchestrated from everything around me and within me.

Natalie ended her first grade year tremendously well and we are all so proud of her. On her last day, we gave her vibrant dark pink peonies and red carnations to congratulate and celebrate her on a year well done. I am now looking forward to the blessing of having her more with me during the summer and continuing to establish our relationship as mother and daughter. Sometimes, during the school year things get a bit lost family wise with homework, school activities and extra curricular activities as well. Summer is the time for me to gather everything back and enjoy my daughter with love and with life itself.

Every summer, it would seem, I always have the same notion of thoughts. I remember my fondness for herbs, for making dolls (like mandrakes and owls), and for fall. Always in the very beginning of summer, I love it even though my heart is set on autumn. I don't know what it is but I certainly hope that the resurgence of creativity and thought will manifest itself in very productive ways! I am looking forward to September, where a piece of my artwork will join a handful of others at the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Welsh Festival of Arts. Lorin Morgan-Richards is the artist heading this up and he presented a wonderful opportunity for some artist friends. He put together his own original poetry to the Welsh Alphabet, with each artist getting their own letter. I have:

N is for Nissien
Who battles amongst the celestial star
He combats his twin Efnissien
Dueling for peace afar.

 I finally finished my piece and will be scanning and sending it to him this week. It's all so very exciting and am so interested in seeing what every one else contributed!

Again, I have been filled with so much joy coming from every which way. We have been spending more time with family and old friends whilst making new ones as well. We are seeing and understanding the value of 'community' and living life with others, not just learning to live individualistically. It's been sort of amazing, for me, seeing those little barriers come down that I've never really realized I had in some ways. We are also planting again and truly trying to start a little container garden of sorts. Rick's friend has given us more than a handful of pumpkin seedlings along with a few pepper ones too. We finally managed to get them all little homes with new soil so they can grow and flourish. I really hope as we learn to do all of this our newly green thumbs won't turn black!

It's afternoon now and that last photo of fresh basil leaves brewing for tea is reminding me how I have not had any tea yet today. I am off, but I hope everyone is truly enjoying this season. For all the wonders and beauty it brings, from every which way around :)

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

the last trip to 'the happiest place on earth' before summer...

work and weekends...

• Painted on a couple of smooth rocks I picked up from Abalone Cove
• Drew out two design ideas for a t-shirt contest (come vote for my designs, #66 and #67)!
• Played my old clarinet again (and being inspired to rediscover it all over)
• Had dinner and dessert with friends, my family and parents at the local spot for Food Trucks 
• Introduced my friends to my rad cousin for tattoo ideas
• Had a drink with the same friends before watching Super 8 (and seeing our friend's credit)!
• Getting up close and personal with a couple of classic cars from the man my dad bought his bike off of
• Theology that leads to Doxology and other things at a Core Gathering for Mars Hill Orange County
• Eating at Wahoo's and hanging out afterwards with friends at the Irvine Spectrum
• Sunday Service of encouragement to live our lives with one another in community
• Natalie's last time as a Brownie at her Girl Scout's Ceremony
• Perusing Cost Plus World Market and picking up a couple of Fentiman's (my favorite sodas) and an adorable tin of Moustache Mints)!

All in all, completely blessed by these last few days: of art, family, friends, fellowship and being with the One whom all blessings flow....

for audrey eclectic...

It has been so very rewarding making friends on the world wide web. I've been blessed with getting to know a handful of extremely talented and awesome ladies. One of which I did this portrait for: Heather of Audrey Eclectic. She amazes me with her delightful paintings inspired by historical time periods, folk takes, ghost stories and southern living. She, along with her husband and gorgeous daughter, live in a nice little homestead in Oklahoma that I would love to visit someday. Her blog is full of her beautiful art and craft (check out her ceramic mugs!), photographs of everyday living and her posts featuring Tasha Tuesday and WWMID (What Would Ma Ingalls Do).She encourages me to continue to reach out for my dreams artistically and creatively and to live life with passion. Every one she take a visit to her neck of the woods, I promise you will not be disappointed ;)

what marie could have said nowadays (for a contest, of course)!

I decided to enter into Fresh & Easy's Design-a-bag contest for the second year in a row. Last year I entered in a simple drawing that my daughter wanted me to do. I had fun with it because it was a sort of collaboration (well, more like I just did what she wanted) but it was nice seeing her vision on what should be on a shopping bag. This year I decided to go with the first idea that came to me. Based on the winner last year, I think they are going for a graphic arts look but that didn't deter me. I instantly thought of the very grand Queen of France, Marie Antoinette herself and played off of the famous phrase attributed to her (whether she actually said it or not, we will never know).

Now that the entry deadline has passed, I thought I would share it all with you here. Since we all know Marie had a flair for the outrageous when it came to hairstyles, I thought it only fitting to 'do' her up fresh market style. Of course, a large pink cake had to be in there, along with a bottle of wine and a few pretty roses (which references our Fresh & Easy's pretty bouquets at the entrance). All in all, it was fun drawing this up. It is not the first that have drawn Marie and it definitely won't be the last.

In other news, I am half way done on a portrait of a friend of mine with her young daughter. I am pretty excited to finally get at it and I do very much hope she enjoys it. She herself is a tremendously talented artist and has definitely inspired me. I am hoping to continue to venture out with paint and canvas and hopefully will be putting some originals in the shop soon. Until next time friends, Good night!

the merry ol' country life...

"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."
- Laura IngallsWilder

I started this old man awhile back but finally set out to finish him the other day. I wanted to have a different subject matter than a woman, which is usual for me. I believe this was more an exercise for myself, seeing life from a different perspective and time. I really enjoyed creating this because for me, it is a celebration of life. Sometime we think in our youth lies all the great celebrations but I don't believe that to be true. I think I am one of the few that actually gets excited to see a gray strand because I don't associate it with 'aging' but with growing up, with living rather than just 'getting old'. There is so much more life to be had, to be discovered, So far, in my 'growing up' I am also realizing that the simpler things bring more joy and dare I say, even the labored things can bring more satisfaction. My old man here, is contemplating the goodness of his life, of all his days with various things that fill his home and his heart.

I do want to strive for simplicity. Not in a way where it becomes an idol, but getting back to what is basic, finding the beauty and need for necessity. With God as my primary focus and in this way, being blessed by all the things He has graciously given to me. Taking joyful care of my family and being happy that we are taken care of. I know I still have wants. I still want a house of my own, with an open kitchen and big back yard for a garden (and for play!). Maybe one day we will get those things but still, I always want to be reminded to keep life simple and revel in the everyday joys. Of things that are not tangible and for the ones that are, just grateful that we have them....
As I sometimes do, here are a few quotes I have found and would like to share them with you. Enjoy :)

"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter. . .to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life."
-  John Burroughs 

"You can't force simplicity; but you can invite it in by finding as much richness as possible in the few things at hand.  Simplicity doesn't mean meagerness but rather a certain kind of richness, the fullness that appears when we stop stuffing the world with things."
-   Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life

"I believe we would be happier to have a personal revolution in our individual lives and go back to simpler living and more direct thinking.  It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature.  There are not hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wildflowers."
-  Laura Ingalls Wilder