butterflies gathered around..

butterflies gathered around to protect them from the night

when i first saw this painting

i have to admit to you

that it brought tears to my eyes

with it's beauty

and it's hope..

nigel and lily embrace at sunrise

my emotions are often stirred though, with amanda blake's work.

she creates a seemingly endless stream of vignettes and stories

nigel and lily embrace at sunset

often visiting the characters over and again

so over time we get to know them

and wonder about them

caroline carefully arranges everything she holds dear

and love them.

butterflies gathered around to protect them from the night

rich in color and depth

they have the power to simultaneously

make you feel calm and still spark the imagination

lead you into a dream

or take you on a journey for a moment

(a journey that is sometimes surprising but somehow always seems familar..)

this one though...with the angel butterflies..

i just want to climb in to

and stay for a while.

i think we could all use butterflies surrounding us

sometimes.

don't you?

enjoy more of her incredible paintings here, here and here.

happy wednesday.

xo

*ps. tomorrow (thursday) my photo store is being featured on one of my favorite blogs

where they're giving away two of my prints!

more info and a link tomorrow..

i really do

*alyssaduhe

how perfectly sweet is this image?

and how lovely it feels to read (or hear!) this sentiment

a sweet and simple thought..

but with deep and happy effects.

looking at this makes me smile from the inside out.

take a second to stare at it

does it do the same for you?

i hope so

and i hope you have a refreshing weekend

full of even

more smiles too.

xox

see you next week

with sneak peeks of....

owls!

(there's a whole flock of em coming to my shop in early october)

xo

*you can find more fresh playful work from alyssa here and here

a little press..

so, my little secret that i wanted to blurt out to you guys

a few months ago

is in print now and i can finally reveal that i am the featured artiste

in the fall issue of bead & button magazine

it's been a few years since a magazine has featured me,

and so it was nice to be interviewed again.

it puts things in perspective for you as an artist, i think,

to revisit your journey..to look at changes and new directions

by looking back at where you started.

it's quite a nice long article

with large lovely images..hehe

(except i really wish photo credit had been given..)

yvette doss did a great job writing it..i like her perspective and intuitive writing style

she (happily) mentions

the wonderful 'san gabriel bead company' in los angeles

where all of this crazy clay bead business started for me

and also peppers the article with mentions of 'etsy'

(which i was also very happy about)

and salmon and cemeteries and guadalajara

and all sorts of things that inspire/inform my clay work.

it's always interesting to see yourself through someone else's eyes, isn't it?

(and funny enough, it's really not embarrassing at all..!)

if you want to see a copy, it's on newsstands and in craftstores

and bookstores all over the world

(how cool is that?!)

and please contact me if you want me to autograph a copy for you..

haha!

wishing you a really happy mid-week..

see you tomorrow

with more fun.

xo

coco avant chanel

i love that this week has turned into an accidental tribute to france!

(not a bad way to spend a week, i'd say)

and what a better way to end it

than to talk about something completely and undeniably french..

an upcoming film

that explores the beautifully artistic

and gloriously indomitable spirit

of the quintessential french fashion icon

.coco chanel.

it's release date

is one week from today here in the states

(friday september 25..yes my calender is marked in red!)

the exciting part,

other than it starring the gorgeously easy to watch

audrey tatou

(amelie!)

is that it follows coco's life before she was chanel

before the fame and fortune..

she had such an interesting life.

i never knew she was an orphan, or that she tried to become a singer..

oop. stop me before i reveal too much.

(i'm one of those..i research everything feverishly when i find something i love)

her unique vision and strong spirit are incredibly inspiring

and really,

whether you go in knowing her beautiful story or not,

the movie is going to be one poetic frame after another.

...french countryside, early 1900s, paris,

the clothes, the colors, the sets...

a true feast for the eyes.

so in the meantime,

i hope you have a wonderful weekend

full of inspiration.

we're going to lake ontario...apple picking has begun in ny state!

what are you going to do?

i'd love to hear

xo

*all photos via imdb

speaking of things french...

***

in between ballet lessons

playing the piano

and drinking tea

in her 200 year old house

***

lovely julia of rennes-le-chateau

has been creating beautifully poetic

new clothing and handbags

for fall

each piece is romantic and modern

and

although she lives in boston

i swear each time i look at her work

i feel like i'm in paris

(it's happening a lot these days..)

you can find her sweet new items

in her etsy shop

rennes le chateau

ohh la la

how i love you so.

*all photos via rennes le chateau

memories of eating truffles in paris..

***

we stepped out of the chocolaterie
onto the cobblestone street
just below montmartre
just as the rain started falling

***

laughing and looking up to see the dark clouds
old iron work from the old metro
curved and gorgeous
caught my eye
between trees hanging low with drops of rain

***

windows boxes filled with soft flowers
just beyond
and stone walls filled with time
smiled down at me with their stories
of life and love

***

maybe it's because it's been almost 4 years to the day

that i was last in paris

(much too long if you ask me..)

..or maybe it's because i have a serious case of wanderlust

but

lately i've been dreaming remembering and fantasizing

about paris (a lot)

and

have been making jewelry and plotting photographs

inspired by these *dreams*

it's just an indulgence i happily allow myself..

going there in your mind (and heart)

is *almost* as good as being there..

n'est-ce pas?

***one of the little creations inspired by memories of beautiful old

historic dreamy paris

in my jewelry shop

hope you have a happy and inspiring monday!

xo

into the trees

and now we interrupt our regularly scheduled program

with a moment of utter gorgeousness..

i love how relaxed and inspired this makes me feel..

i want to dive right in to those images.

ahhhh...such a nice way to start the work week after the long holiday weekend

(you have to ease back into these things sometimes..don't you think?)

and now, off to translate some of these images into clay..

xo

happy weekend

***

wishing you all a very happy weekend

full of adventure

rest friends food and all the things you love best.

xo

postcards from sweden..

*

*

oh the lush greenery..

(so wild and still somehow kept and not messy..a perfect combination)

the quaint houses and lanes..

the bright cheery colors..

*

*

the adorable signs and packaging..

so perfectly and sweetly designed

*

*

oh the utter charm and quaintness

*

*

all brought to us in the form of photo postcards

by the lovely chelsea over at frolic

while she travels through sweden

(..chelsea is also one half of urbanweeds..one of my daily haunts..)

how lucky are we??

*

*

and she's promised a tour through a swedish house..

oooh i'll definitely be there for that one!

won't you join me?

wishing you a happy wednesday!

xo

*all images via frolic

(tack så mycket, chelsea!)

*ps. a big huge blitz of new work is coming to my bead/jewelry shop over the coming weeks..

sneak peeks to follow..

(heheh..i love building anticipation..)