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 ;)

letters, ice tea & a welcoming sign

There are many things I enjoy but two things I believe many of friends know that I especially do: writing/sending letters and having tea. I've been writing letters since I was a child and never lost my love for handwritten mail. I believe by the time I was about 18 or so is when I started decorating envelopes, whether with drawings, clippings or even paint. Sometimes I wish I took a picture of each and every envelope I did that I was so proud of just to have a record of it. It inspired me to begin yet another little hobby tumblr, The Emphera Mail, where I will be posting photos of letters I send out. I'm also recording what posts and packages inspire me on one of my pinterest boards.

I also started getting together with a small group of good friends once a month for tea, sweets, savories, good conversation and fellowship. Again, in typical Andrea fashion, I started a blog for it as well called Kindred Gathering. I usually post the monthly invites along with a few photos of the treats. This time I forgot to take pictures but in place, I posted my very simple recipe for our little family's favorite beverage, Spiced Ice Tea Lemonade (or Arnold Palmer, whichever you prefer) and I thought I would like to share it here as well:

The days needs to continue on in other ways but before I leave, here are a couple of photos of with Nat and her 'welcome sign' she made for fairies (for those traveling past our front yard, of course). Have a great weekend everyone!

rainy day letters

Yesterday was a beautiful rainy day, just right for writing and sending letters again...

ten things

Miss Mathyld has tagged me to share Ten Things That Make Me Happy, so here I go...

one--my daughter and my husband (and my best friend)

two--the long history I have with him (we've been together since I was eighteen and he was nineteen) :)

three--drawing owls, seeing owls, anything pretty much with owls (but of course, you already knew that)!

four--collecting books, reading stories and getting lost in them

five--small gestures of kindness from friends and from unlikely people

six--the mysteries (and inspirations) of nature

seven--the magic of pretending and making memories

eight--letters and parcels in the mail (who doesn't like this?)

nine--learning to become a wee gardener of sorts

ten--many old, vintage things, including houses I can pretend to live in

eleven--a good cup of tea in quiet solitude

Okay, so I snuck in an extra one. But this one goes to eleven (for you Spinal Tap fans). The truth is there are so many things to make one happy. I think I kind of needed this, especially this week, when things have been a bit rough. We need to be reminded of happy things, right?

Well, I think I will not tag anyone formally this time but please, feel free to make your own little list of happy things :)

to hogwarts with love...

Valentine's day of last year, Natalie 'received' a letter from Hogwarts by 'owl'. She was so thrilled to get a little note and gift from her 'friends' in the wizarding world. Ever since then she has asked me to find the address from Hogwarts so she can write her friends back. Initially I stalled, saying that it was very difficult to get the address but that I would try. Since then, she has received a halloween card from 'Harry, Ron, Hermoine and Ginny' and I plan to send her more things from 'them'.



A few weeks ago she just couldn't wait anymore so she began writing (or drawing, actually) her letters to her magical friends. I finally worked it out with Rick's mom to have me send Nat's letters to Hogwarts to her address. I figured since she is still learning how to read and that I put the address after she is done, that I can get away with this for a little while (at least). I also told her that this is the American address that we can send it to until an owl picks it up to take it Hogwarts. I want to buy a very nice box that she can store those letters in until Nat is older and we can present to her a piece of her childhood imagination.



I offered to help her with her letters by getting out my wax and seal for them. She liked choosing different colors and different seals for each one of her friends.



I am constantly in love with the way her mind works and how everything is still so exciting and magical to her.



There are some things I have found on etsy that I've been wanting to get for her sent by her friends, of course. Here are some of the items:

• owl soap with gryffindor scarf by eternal sunshine
• another owl soap from eternal sunshine, in purple, one of Natalie's favorite colors
• a hedwig bookbag from atlantis804
• a daily prophet spiral journal and badge, both from celeste frittata (where I got Natalie's first post from Hogwarts)
• I admit, I have my eye on celeste frittata's hardback journals in astronomy and herbology. For Nat though, her herbology notebook and care of magical creatures if she offers it in notebook style as well.
• I also think aromatherapy lavender's healing mother and child owls are very cute
  
• this plush owl print from folksy would hang nicely somewhere in her room
• she would probably love this gryffindor charm bracelet by winemaker's sister

There are a ton of more things she would most likely jump up and down for. Etsy does have a nice selection of things that are geared to the Hogwarts fan indeed. I wanted to find some cool mandrake things for us to collect. I've been thinking about making her a felt doll from one of my illustrations (and perhaps make a few for the littlebighead shop too).

She also has been begging to go the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Actually it was an email 'owl' that I sent her from 'Harry' that got her so excited to write to her letters. At the Wizarding World they will actually have a post office where you can send letters from that will bear an authentic Hogsmeade postmark. I'm a grown up but I can't help but to be completely sucked into this wonderful, imaginative and very magical world. And for now, it would seem, my daughter is exactly the same way.

the last days of november

November is always a good month for me, not just because it's autumn or because my birthday is in November. It's just a great time of year to remember to be thankful and to enjoy things. This November was especially nice for several reasons...

My bubelah lost her first tooth! We were at Sprouts Market when it happened and celebrated by getting her favorite bowl of chicken noodle soup at Panera!



I had already made her a little tooth fairy box so we promptly got it out once we were home to place her little baby tooth in.



She couldn't wait to go to sleep that night and being the tooth fairy wasn't easy but I managed to take the little tooth and replace it with a five dollar bill and two golden dollar coins. She was thrilled!!

It was so nice to have her participate in soccer this year. Her last game day was called the Ice Cream cup and they played four ten minute games and afterwards had ice cream. Here she is, all little number five!






Defense, the loneliest place (but she did it so well!)


and there she goes!







I was invited to participate at the Kin Ship Gallery's art show, "As Seen on T.V.". Of course, I was thrilled and honored and submitted a piece inspired by Charlotte 'Chuck' Charles from the show 'Pushing Daisies'. It's the first art show I have ever been a part of and I hope it does really well. I didn't get the best picture but you can get an idea of how it looks:



I'm also thankful for friends that are dear to me which leaves me to this last part. I have made a few friends from the art world and I they have made a special place within my heart. It's so nice to be able to send postcards, letters and even packages sometimes to one another. It's nostalgic and genuine and I am thankful to be a part of their lives.



So for friends near, there is a family that we have been particularly blessed by and it is with this family we were able to spend Thanksgiving with. Just a few photos I took of the settings but they don't really tell the whole story of what a great time we had on that day...















Thank you November, for all of your blessings!

found, made and sent

Several random things to share, all tied together :)








Obviously, it's no surprise that we keep making things into owls since they are our favorite (i.e. Nat at first wanted to carve the pumpkin into a Harry Potter face. Now she wants to carve it into an owl). So, more TP rolls get made into something a little nicer. With sequins eyes, twig beaks, felt wings and fabric heart bellies (hers is the floral belly, mine, the polka dotted one).



Letters, real snail mail, seems to be a dying art and a few of us are doing what we can to keep it alive. I sent out two letter invitations to two of my best friends hoping for a little get together next month. Sealed with silver wax and a 'G' emblem, complete with a Gary Cooper stamp :)