Happy December 1st!

To kick off one of my favorite months of the year,
I wanted to share this wintry wreath I painted.

Yesterday,
with a dusting of snow
frozen on the ground,
we went out in the woods behind our house
and trimmed a few bright boughs
of gleaming holly,
pulled down a vine or two
of deep green ivy.
We brought them indoors,
to brighten our rooms
during this cold and festive month,
and to be a reminder
of the vibrant life
and wild beauty,
that can still be found
in the depths of Winter.


The Yule Wreath is now available in my shop
(which will be closing for the holidays on Friday, December 12).

I don't know about you,
but for me,
October was a doozy of a month.
I normally love October,
but this year
I'm just glad it's over.

Onward,
into November,
we go.

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I've recently become obsessed--
absolutely obsessed--
with the work of Anais Mitchell.
I cannot seem to listen to her music enough!

Young Man In America
Wedding Song (from 'Hadestown')
Geordie



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Happy October 1st!

In celebration of Autumn
I've added a new Harvest Wreath
to my shop.

Throughout this harvest season,
may your days be bright,
your heart thankful,
and the leaves around you golden!

I wanted to share
these images from our trip
to the Olympic Peninsula
at the end of August
before we moved too far away from Summer
and into Fall.

It was magical,
as usual,
our beloved home-away-from-home;
I feel so incredibly lucky
to have so many of those!
We've been visiting this coast for years,
and it is so familiar
that I think I could walk it
with my eyes closed,
and yet every year,
it is different,
new,
fresh.


Until the next time!


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We bought a house!


The last few months have been so stressful,
but we could not be more thrilled
with how everything turned out!

These are the first photographs I have taken
at our new home.
The inside is still so full of boxes,
and there is a distinct lack of furniture,
but the light is exciting,
and nature's beauty is ever-present.



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Another blooming letter!

This one is composed of flowers
that brought me back
to the beloved childhood garden
that I visited every summer
in North Carolina
at my grandparents' house.

This summer.

Words have been failing me a bit.

This summer has been
so full of beauty,
and my heart has overflowed
with gratitude and thankfulness.
Stress, fear, and wait
paired with joy, hope and excitement:
it's been a summer of intensity,
an all-out sprint.
I feel out of time,
these days,
in transition--
swirling memories from the past
are tangibly muddled together
with dreams for the future,
even as I try to be centered
around each present moment.
All of my senses are heightened.
It's almost too much,
but I wouldn't change anything.



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To quote the great Calvin:
"The days are just packed."

That's the best way
to sum up
the last month or so!

Summer always kicks into
such a high gear here.
The season can be so fleeting,
and the urge to make good use
of every glorious second of it
to the fullest extent
can feel like a kind of pressure.

Milla's post about this seasonal struggle
really resonated with me.
It's something that I work with
every summer,
to varying degrees of success:
remembering gratitude,
holding on to the joy,
shaking free from guilt.


I've been doing a lot of painting,
working on commissions for a handful of folks,
and a few gifts for others.
These floral letters were a sweet commission
by a mother,
of her two boys' initials.
Such a fun project!


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Life has been pretty nuts lately
(we are starting our search for a house of our own,
and the market in Seattle is very challenging!)
but I finally found time
to finish up this latest wreath!

Peonies,
wild roses,
apple blossoms,
and maidenhair fern:
all-out luscious loveliness.

Prints of this wreath are now available in my Etsy shop.

Sometimes
some vacation time
is exactly what you need.

Neko Case - City Swans

I have been on such a Neko Case kick lately!
Her beautiful voice sounds especially perfect
on days when the sun is out
and the air is warm.