Sparkle and Paint Days

There's some kind of wonderful that trickles in with the seasonal shift of summer to autumn.

You begin to see everyone fluttering around, excited for what is to come.

The garden needs you less, you get some reprieve from the heat (especially this summer in Arizona with record heat and little rain). You feel less exhausted from the hot air and more inspired by the crisp tinge of autumn that's wafting about.

Each season has its own beauty, but that special magic when summer hands its duties off to autumn is utterly inspiring, isn't it?

For me, I've been staying up super late creating, listening to music, working in my dollhouses.

My imagination takes me to far away places – to sparkly bright colored circuses – to a place of pure imagination.

I'm always thankful for that place I discovered as an 11 year old – my own escape.

And so I fling paint around and listen to music into the wee hours of the night.

It's interesting how in summer I am ready for bed quite early and in autumn I am awake late – you would think it would be the other way around but I suppose the hot days and garden tending of two gardens really zaps a person.

I do love early mornings too though.

Late nights and early mornings – those quiet times when creativity swirls all around.

I've set up a space for my creating in the guest house here, but my main studio is still at the country house.

I go back and forth to both places nearly everyday as they are close by.

It's a lovely dance that I have found a rhythm with and am enjoying.

I pulled the carpet out two years ago in this guest house and left the floor bare concrete. I did not want to worry about the spilling of endless amounts of paint, because we all know, it's fun to fling paint with wild abandon. There's a little courtyard garden outside the guest house and I've been planting climbing roses and vines. I can't wait to see how they grow up next spring.

It's important for me to create almost everyday. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know about the pact I made with myself when I was 19 years old or so. To live a life of creating for my own sanity and for inner peace. And so, I always find my way back to what is my greatest joy and escape.

For me, it's important to surround myself with little things that I love for inspiration.

There is no rhyme or reason, just little knick knacks that I love.

And a few reminders of my past work.

Some magazines here and there and book pages.

As you get older it's easier to lose sight of yourself.

You get so busy and your whole world doesn't revolve around you as it did when you were younger.

And oddly enough, you become less selfish, and a healthy amount of selfishness (of the good variety) is so important.

You almost forget what you need if you are not careful.

So, I make sure to create a space of me-ness and get creative.

If you are imaginative or creative, it's important to have an outlet.

An outlet for the wanderings of your mind, an outflow.

There is nothing I love more than the smooshing of colors and textures.

I especially adore when pink and orange bleed together.

And so, the wonderful shift is upon us.

Of summer to autumn.

For some of you on the other side of the globe it is the opposite.

You are going into spring.

Which is very interesting because autumn in Arizona is much like a second spring until November when it really starts to cool down.

All my roses are filling up again, after leaves crisping up in the heat despite watering.

The flowers breathe a sigh of relief and start to flourish for a couple months.

Pretty much just like me and you.

A wonderful sigh of magical relief.

Time to create – to be happy, to be free.

To continue believing.

To be true to yourself.

To create just for the sake of creating.

To put your phone down and get back to living your own best life.

My happiest place is here.

Where art supplies are (I have doubles of everything in both studios, I can't imagine needing something and it being at the other place, and vice versa).

Where I am free to be me, and do whatever the heck I want.

Where circus girls turn up at midnight.

Beckoning me into the trapeze of art.

My favorite place to be.

With a little bird and porcelain doll head rooting me on.

And all the glimmer and sparkle turning up for the party.

Everyday can be a party if you want it to be.

Even for just an hour.

Refuel your soul, find the joy of your heart.

Instead of fearing the unknown how about being excited for the future?

Life is hard I know, all sorts of things happen, and questions and fears and worries.

But for an hour (or more if you can) how about some escape?

I promise, it will change everything if you give yourself a little while to have an outflow of all your feelings and emotions.

Give yourself some "me time" to do what you love.

That will make all the difference.

<3 <3 <3

 

Happy Autumn xoxo!

See you soon.

Love, V