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Category Archives: tea
thankful
Green tea, fallen leaves and an autumn lake walk.
The hurricane. I feel so fortunate we were only a few days without power, kept safe and nothing was damaged. The winds were strong and scary. Trees crashed in the near distance. Halloween came and went without a notice. But we are ok. Halloween was celebrated yesterday. Now the air is beginning to turn cold. I love winter but I’m not sure how I feel about this yet. happy to have tea to keep hands warm and squeezing in walks to see the last of the leaves. Happy November.
lemon balm and mint (and lemonade too)
Keeping busy making summertime concoctions, as well as drying herbs for fall’s tea-time weather. I made some refreshing vanilla-infused lemonade from organic lemons the other day (my little one wanted to help until he realized how sour the lemons were). But to me it was so delicious!
Yesterday I decided to harvest some mint and lemon balm from my mothers herb garden. It was so relaxing to be in the sun shine with the bees and monarch butterflies. I made these into a few bunches and they are now hanging upside down to dry (their sweet smell filling my little studio room.) I can’t wait to see how my handcrafted tea blends turn out. I think I am going to store them in old mason jars with pretty hand-drawn illustrated labels.
And thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post (about leaving my job). So far this summer has been such bliss, I couldn’t be happier.
A side note-recently I have been snapping photographs with my iphone, which is quick and ok but I really, really need to start using my real camera again:)
A big old post because I’ve been away so long…tangled hair teacups and sketches
Where did the week go? And someone tells me its March already… spring will soon be here! I am so awaiting the sweet colors of spring and sitting out in the grass. Anywho, lots of inspiration and sketching here. I have been collecting pictures of flapper-ish women, muses and models for paint and sketching maybe. This one I had for years. I found her in a cigar box in an antique shop (I have another photo of here too, in a differernt pose!) She had a very, very sad life the past couple of years though. You see, she went missing, but the good news is that she was found last week. I was cleaning out my wooden box with drawers, and she was wedged between the underside of the bottom of the drawer and the dresser. She was all folded up, like an accordian, which damaged the photo and made me very, very sad.
To make me feel better I bought this gem of a little photo on Etsy, just look at these sisters! The photo came in a set which included a boy but I threw him into my scrap box, as I really don’t care about photos of boys that much. But these two sisters..I am definitely going to use them in my painted imagery.
They fulfilled my criteria for the photos I collect.. post victorian (preferable 20’s and 30’s)…soft waves in short, shiny hair, slightly out of place and frizzy…a certain facial expression that I can’t quite put my finger on, and oh the sepia…
A very cold windowsill this morning, strange little bird family, icy outside
Oh my and I bought the most pretty golden teacup earrings, at the thrift shop of all places!
They have these little saucers and even little golden spoons! And my hair always tangles all around them.
My friend bought me this pretty mug yesterday during out treasure hunt.
and the other side, sewing machines!
hehe for pure fun and whimsy… a love of tangled hair in strange places…
Which leads me to share a new love for wooden hair sticks! I bought these from Etsy and they are in need of beaded ends, which I will add. I looooove hairsticks (and my hair loves them too, they are really gentle on the strands!)
Been filling the pages of my journals with sepia tones watercolor sketches, which helps so much with underpainting and its a good reference source too. Creating a visual log of my own personal imagery for more narrative pieces in the future.
I am SO inspired by this painting by John Everett Millais:
Isn’t she a dream? She’s been a springboard for some new ideas. More sketches and other things to come!
Warm tea…
All that is needed right now, cups and cups of it! Been sick and in s-l-o-w mode, and I have lots of things to post (a whole pile, oh dear). But in the grogginess of the morning I was so excited to see my name as one of the winners on Marmee’s Valentine’s drawing!
Must be the season but I am collecting vintage tea cups, I can imagine them delicately piled on my bookshelf… this one from last week:
My friends and I have been planning an elaborate outdoor tea party with little cakes, dresses and vintage hats, so I am longing for the warm weather. Right now we are in the middle of a snowstorm and it is so cold and blustery outside!
Green is and had always been my favorite color. But I find myself being drawn to all shades of blues for the time being. Maybe becasue I keep finding pretty blue things. I would like to fill an entire shelf with all things blue. A little pile of things from last week:
and I was looking for a whole year for a very certain treasure, found inside of this bright blue plastic case:
Resisting to look on ebay, I found it in real life last week. It’s a pretty shade of blue. Can you guess what it is? (I’ll have a picture soon!)
I like things with dead insects imbeded inside. I have a few little frames with butterflies mounted, their wings tattered from age. This paper weight has a giant creepy beetle inside. The peachy petals of the flower remind me of the tulle on a 1950’s prom dress I have packed away.
Yum cross-stitched birdie and an old post card with poppies.
Wishing I could get more done. On Sunday the sunshine was pouring into my tiny painting corner, and everything looked so untouched, which makes me very sad but hopeful at the same time. I have some new paints that I can’t wait to play with as soon as I am feelign better! Nothing feels better than new paints.
Oh, and I got this pretty vintage floral jumper dress on etsy. I just love the little white buttons on the shoulders and the bold floral print against the black. It reminds me of Frida, which remindes me of a certain exhibit which we are going to see soon. I was jumping for joy when I heard about this one, and what fun to visit Philly!
I have some more little cameos and lockets to post soon, and some sketches maybe.
Teapot Giveaway!
Remember this?
Well, I have been cleaning out my studio (more about that later!) and I have decided to do another teapot giveaway as special thanks to everyone who comes to my blog! All you need to do is to leave a comment here telling me your favorite autumn tea. Then, on Monday at 8:00 pm I will write down all your names of tidbits of folded paper, toss them in the teapot and see who is the most lucky winner!
My favorite autumn tea (and I won’t be surprised if it is your favorite as well) is a creamy, cinnamon-y chai latte. I love to walk through the woods with a warm cupful in my mittened hand and daydream.
So, the little fabric-covered patchwork goodness is waiting for you… please son’t be shy! I would LOVE to send this your way!
What have I been up to? Well, I have decided that my under-the-eaves studio is much too cramped, so I am moving things about trying to fit them so my workspace is more efficient. I don’t sew much due to all the painting so I am putting away my ceiling-high fabric stash, and replacing it with a vintage dress form. Awhile ago I purchased a lovely victorian lace blouse (very well wron and torn from the turn-of-the-century…in black!) So I though I would display it for the autumn months ahead. It really is a magical piece of clothing with a bit of darkness and mystery due to the age and the coloring of the lace. It has handstitching throughout and that within itself is a joy!
The days have been dark and dreary with lots of rain. And cold! Despite the dampness I managed to bundle up …gosh, it’s August… and take some pretty walks. I even collected some acorns yesterday. I have been painting a new piece as well. Oh, and books! I went to the library yesterday and brough home the most delicious stack of books. Hooray for rainy days.
Lavender Ice in My Tea and a Mossy Shrine
I made lavender ice cubes. They give my tea such a wonderful flavor, and the way that the lavender leaves embed into the icyness is so pretty. I’ve been sipping iced green tea these days.
In the yard there such a lush green tuft of moss, perfectly dappled by sunlight. I went inside and gathered up blackberries and petals, along with my new collection of blue jay feathers and heart shaped stones (I have three, finding them is quite addictive). The girl in the middle is actually a close-up of a painting on a postcard by Louis Janmot from 1845.
I have never seen this painting before and at first view my heart jumped. I love the experience of viewing undiscovered art. The whole painting is so beautiful and serene… I have been staring at this postcard for weeks and I had no idea. Theres something about her face and the colors of her clothing were completely unexpected…
Have a beautiful day~*~*~