flowers, herbs, friends, letters and summer...

My life in pictures (as seems to be the theme of my blog posts of late):

• One of my most favorite things about Summer is our Gardenia bush. As the heat begins to rise, these fragrant blossoms open and release such sweet perfumery
• Making root and herbal syrups out of ginger (with lemon added after for quick and simple ginger ale syrup) and lemon balm. Add to ice and carbonated or tonic water = instant refreshing natural soda!
• My little dancer makes people of all ages smile. She danced for my friend's mother and a week later, she received this handmade fairy crown from her
• Always remembering the value of friendships. Especially those in who are daughters have alsostarted and continued
• Random letter writing is always a past time of mine. In comes in waves sometimes and this is the first of the season but definitely not the last (I chronicle my handmade/hand drawn letters/envelopes here if you wish to see)
• Sitting outside in the cool breeze, beneath our cut out blackbird from two Octobers ago

Working on an illustration job, thinking of new projects and reminded of older ones that need to be completed. Summer is a wonder and I will do my work along with the fun. When it's over, and school begins, I really need to get on the ball ;)

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

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 ;)

a holiday get together....

• home baked/made gingerbread houses
• delicious appetizers
• mulled wine!
• the twelve days of christmas caroling
• gingerbread house decorating
• a cheeky little book from 1913
• good conversations, laughter and fellowship
• children's dance party!
• feeling blessed...

Hello Hyde...

My dear friend Helena has been brewing up some lovely perfumes for sensational olfactory delight! Her natural fragrances at Faunfare are my favorite and now she steps it up a notch with her luxury line, Hyde. Along with the sweetest little mandrake root ever (love him!) I was sent a lovely sample pack of the newest Hyde fragrances, all elegantly wrapped in black.

It was so hard deciding which one I loved the most. Jack the Ripper was scarily inviting and smooth like the silkiest powder. Sorcery has the pleasantness of citrus and bergamot, very enchanting indeed. Opium also has notes of citrus with bitter orange and Japanese yuzu. I'm especially in love because it has the intoxicating and haunting fragrance of tuberose among it's notes. de Sade is delightfully different with black pepper and tobacco blond. It seems at once more serious and yet still playful (Rick really enjoyed this one). Initiation is a bit warmer, a soft embrace of red mandarin and cardamom. All in all truly enticing fragrances, each one!

I'm also impressed with her Hyde business cards, mysterious and prestigious just like her fragrances.

Helena, I feel so extremely honored to be blessed with these tokens of your amazing workmanship but above that, with your friendship...

(You can find both Faunfare and Hyde at her Faunfare Etsy but please take a look at her Faunfare website as well. It is absolutely beautiful and she has a new Faunfare product, solid perfume in a most ornate antique silver cast locket. Gorgeous!! Hyde also has it's on site (currently being updated) at Hydonism.com.)