Peonies Coming To An End

All peonies are blooming now, sadly, the end of this peony season is at hand.





And I found this ladybug on one of the peonies, but he (she) was ON THE MOVE and it was most difficult to get a shot that was not blurred.



Chamomile flower, so tiny.

March 13 - What It Means

"Being born on the 13th day of the month should help make you a better manager and organizer, but it may also give you a tendency to dominate people a bit.
You may be more responsible and self-disciplined than you realize.
Sincere and honest, you are a serious, hard working individual.
Your feeling are likely to seem somewhat repressed at times.
You are apt to be much more practical, rational, and conscious of details.
Your intolerance and insistence on complete accuracy can be irritating to some".

Found here via Camilla and My Little Odd Forest.

Dressing It Up

Handcrafted Miyuki bead necklaces and bracelets from E.T.C. creations, elegant necklaces and bracelets in delicious colors from Adelaide (very expensive but worth looking at the color combinations), funky 'econony class' bracelets from Janey Garnet and delicate silk hand woven wraps and stoles from Indigo Handloom.

Preserving Coral Reefs

With the IF Aquatic theme from last week in mind, I was thinking of my youth. I was certified scuba diver in my 20's and 30's but have not been diving in a long time. My memories are vivid, my fascination for sealife never wanes. I was reading today about the destruction of the coral reef in the Virgin Island from raw sewage. I keep wondering what kind of damage all of those cruise ships impose on the waters, trash, sewage. It is very depressing. I want my son to be able to go to the VI someday and have the experience that I did. Amazing corals, fish, the colors remarkable.
The Living Sea has a wonderful photo gallery, showing different fish and corals. My favorite has always been the brain coral and the Damsel fish.
Also take a look at Ocean Conservancy maybe there is something we can all do to insure that our kids get to enjoy the abundance of natural beauty that we have now.

Mom, Shopper, Accesssorizer

I have been telling my mom I was going to do this for months. She is and has always been very stylish dresser, accessorizing goddess (where did I go astray?). She cooks in full gear (earrings, bracelets, good clothes and not a spot on her). But we laugh all the time because she can look adorable, and the whole outfit will have cost her less than two dollars...from Thrift Stores, Senior Citizen Store, Goodwill, and of course, that is with her senior citizen discount. This perfect summer outfit, she purchased at different times, different stores, but cost a total of $1.50! So I am going to start documenting her finds. Of course, what I have found shopping with her is that that the cuter clothes are in smaller sizes, not my size.

Teenager's Improved Bedroom

New paint, new carpet, new bed, well, new everything. Still working out the details, like window coverings, bulletin board, but here the new bedroom for my teenager. He picked out a maroon/red pillows, I was surprised, and tried to talk him out of them. I was thinking green as a accent color, but then I am the mom, and don't have very good ideas!

Wanting

One of these rings from Sparrow Goods

Personalized dog tag necklace found via DesignSponge

Lillard Martin's Stonehenge Angled Porcelain Pendant

I can not get enough of Tord. I love this chair and this chair by Tord Boontje

Hive Project

Hive Project

Seamless And Studio "Chair"

I had to take a break from work and take a little flower picture. Here is my seamless, and my photo studio, white paper taped to a chair, positioned in the best (only) light I have in my house. Not very fancy, but it works for now.

Illustration Friday - Aquatic

Inspired by a previous post about the work of Kelly Mark's and the "Letraset Drawing Series", I am experimenting with 5's. G's, and such for Illustration Friday.

Full Moon Last Night

More Pictures Of Party

I get to bore you some more! My friend Sherry sent me these photos she took at the dessert portion of the party at my house.







A new neighbor!


Sun setting

Letraset Rebirth

Kelly Mark's "Letraset Drawing Series". My husband and I had boxes and boxes of letraset from the good ole days, but not the imagination to do anything with them.

Organized Beauty

There is something very soothing in repetition. I love this, this and this, Land Art by Strijdom van der Merwe.
Richard Long has some interesting installations. Nabil Nahas and Mario Merz.

Progressive Block Party Happening

We had our progressive block party tonight and most our street turned out for fun, food and drink. We met new neighbors, new kids, fellow gardeners, artists. The night began with exotic cocktails at a newly landscaped front garden, moved next door for salad, appetizers. Moved again to a main course, then to our house for dessert, coffee, dessert wine, and wine. I hung square japanese lanterns in a straight line down the dining room ceiling (most of you know I use my ceiling for another place to decorate). Hung the jar lanterns I made last year, with old jars, copper wire and tea candles down the front walkway (forgot to take pictures, but it was very inviting), and since it was chilly enough by 8p.m., we lit a fire. Triple chocolate brownies, cheesecake, cheese/fruit, and apple cobbler. I think I gave away my Texas Thunderstorm painting (seen in photo) that my son and I painted last year to my neighbor who really loved it. I have been planning to do another painting for that space soon.

Moveable Type

Exploring all the amazing links on Meggiecat and discovered Moveable Type. Many more on this site.

Visit To Nursery

I have a slide show if you want to see more.

Looking Inside

I am looking inside my flowers and finding glorious sights.

Inside the rose


Petal's Edge

Peonies!

Red Charm

Red Charm Bomb Peony!

May Blooming

I am trying to ween myself off blogging. Took some macro and peony pics and must post them.
Honeysuckle up close and personal.









Take a look at more peonies and up close and personal with some other flowers in the garden.

Color Guiding Your Life

Color is an insight to your personality. Discover which color is your guide with Colorstrology by Pantone. I am Pantone 13-0116, Pastel Green (Earnest, Compassionate, Magical - I agree!)



I love the Comforting Palette for home, A natural range of colors that work in harmony, from an olive-y brown to the clarity of light tan.

Origami And Polygons

Palm Leaf Grasshopper and folding a cube.

Robert J. Lang origami mammals and the koi (doesn't this look like a good opportunity for a softie?)

Here are a bunch, I like the butterfly. A beautiful little vase. Make a sweet rose bud or a Christmas tree. The longest origami train. Build your own business card polyhedra.
Interesting, but difficult making 4 cubes.

Erik Demaine's Unlocking Puzzling Polygons animations are very very cool!

A polyhedron is a three - dimensional figure made up of sides called faces, each face being a polygon, here paper models and how to make them.

Blogging Break

I was inspired to begin this blog by the most talented Erica (at Currently) and it has been so much fun. I really started it so my friends and family could keep up with what I was doing so far away from home. Funny enough, most of them don't read it. I sent out links a long time ago, and when I ask them any of them recently if they have read my blog, they will say, "I read it when you sent it to me months ago, but it made me tired, too much to look at ... Oh, you mean, you add to it every day?" So, I gave up on most of them reading it, but in their place, developed these wonderful friendships out there in Blog-Land. Remarkable, really, when you think about so many being drawn together by illustrations, food, photos of pets, crafts, quilting, the love of doing something exciting with our hands and minds. I thank you all for being so supportive, kind and generous in my little blogging venture.

I am taking a little bogging break. I have much to do, and it does not include blogging. Freelance I need to finish up. A good idea that has been swirling around in my head for years that I have been inspired to develop into a product. Will tell more later. Cards I want to get printed and out there. A couple of paintings (not digital) that I want to for my son. I guess blogging has just been TOO much fun, and I need to step away from the keyboard.

I will still be posting, but maybe just once a week or as time allows. Of course, I will be posting Peony photos as different ones bloom. Maybe, after my freelance is finished I can even do an IF illustration again! See you soon.

Journey Through Life With Friends

It is always a treasured gift when The Journal arrives at my house. Three friends from college, living away from each other keep one shared journal. We started it many years ago as a present to one of us, and now I can not remember who it will eventually belong to. We have all agreed to continue a new one when this journal is full. Someone has been holding onto it for a while (I won't mention any names, but it would not matter because they don't read my blog anyway). We have journaled to each other about the pain of divorce, losing a parent, watching our kids grow tall and our wrinkles growing deep. It is an intimate way of keeping us in touch with each other, feelings that we might not have time or energy to talk about in a quick phone call with kids screaming in the background. Our journey, our love for each other, our lives apart and together. I would like to share just a few thoughts from the journal. You can click away now it you want, my feelings will not be hurt.



The first page says Faith, Irene and Kim with a small photo of three chairs looking out to a calm waters.


Irene sent me S. Texas Weeds. "I dressed up as a gypsy for Halloween last year. As I got ready for work one day last week, my 6-yr-old daughter wandered in my room, looked me over, and asked if it was Halloween again. I guess I need a mirror."


"It's Father's Day in 2 days. My dad is gone. My dad is dead. And I have to keep telling myself that or I will not believe it. I miss him, I am mad at him.....before he came along, I was a little lonely girl with no one to champion her. I remember my girlfriends adored him, boyfriends were terrified."


"A feather from the bouquet Ian gave - One waning summer day. He was fishing alone. And might had less to carry - what with tackle box, pole and all, but he stopped to collect 100 feathers of a wild turkey got by coyotes. 'For you, Mom,' he said, 'I couldn't just leave them.' The feather marks a beginning and an end. It brushed softly on the heart of my son and I."

Nice Sites

I found a couple of nicely designed sites today: Esque Design, Brannon Segroves Photography, Chris Miller, Small and Round and Liz Wolf.

Ring Ring Ring

I love stackable rings and these are lovely Stackable rings, from Adamas. These David Heming stackable rings. This Lyric Ring from Shots. And a few more Baubles.

New Homes

My beautiful and talented friend, Julie, has a new 26 pound baby, Riley. Congratulations!





Gilda needs a home. Kathleen, know anyone in CA that needs a new dog? Or maybe I should bring Clark or Juarez to my home. Trying to talk my husband into that. Anyway, petfinders.org is a good way to find a new pet, like Pepe here.

United Information

With summer and vacations around the corner these are handy sites to have bookmarked. All about our 50 states and National Parks.

Texas Roots

Our house is more like an art gallery or junk store. Full of objects that inspire me everyday and remind me of my Texas roots and American Indian heritage. I feel at peace with all of our collected junk, art, Texas tidbits. It puts my life in perspective.





And I had to have this Texas-size deck of cards to go with my collection.

Tiffinwallahs

Tiffinwallahs are the men who deliver 175,000 lunches (or "tiffin") each day to offices and schools throughout Mumbai, the business capital of India. Lunch is in a tin container consisting of a number of bowls, each containing a separate dish, held together in a frame. The meals are prepared in the homes of the people who commute into Mumbai each morning and delivered in their own tiffin carriers. After lunch, the process is reversed.

Mom was just reading me a article in Saveur (my favorite magazine) about Tiffinwallahs. It sounds like a great system if you don't have to pay for gas in the delivery process. Also a good piece about the history of Fava Beans.

Collecting Cigarette Cards

I have a small collection of Cigarette Cards, discovered them to be affordable. I have roses, birds, but these Asian theme are my favorites.



And the detail is so nice, with the glow on the lantern.