leaps and bounds

me wee little cactus. it's slowly growing larger week by week. i wonder how big it shall become?

idleness, not really

i've managed to become busy in the last few weeks. making odds and ends art with washi tape, painting my toenails in an amazing green-gold polish, gouache painting another shopping bag, potting a teeny tiny cacti baby i found hidden in amongst larger brethren, sewing a tea cozy, knitting an extension onto my stainless steel scarf, watching the avengers (had to catch up on some of the movies leading up to it as well), sewing a linen shoulder bag, restocking my japanese tea, giving meiko a bath, going to a dayspa/hair convention in orlando...

that now, i feel like doing exactly what nala is doing.

miniatures outside the dollhouse

creating small container gardens is quite fun and very rewarding. you can add pizazz with little details and give birth to miniature worlds. in this case, washi tape bunting and twig poles.

it's a "welcome to your new space" gift for our local yarn shop owner. she's opening a new shop, with a new location which gets great light due to the wall of glass at the entrance. succulents love light, and every space needs something living to bring good karma.

i'm trying to use my washi tape more often, now that it's easier to access in its' drawer. it was very quick and painless to make the bunting; a little cutting, pressing, tying, et voila!

green and growing things

i love strawberry season. it's been less than perfect weather for growing, but freshly picked strawberries which are ripened on the stem beat any store bought ones, regardless of size. we took a little trip to the coastal gardens and bamboo farm for a plant sale, and dad did some strawberry picking while we browsed among the plants.

there were some interesting plants at the sale, as well as the bamboo they grow there. i quite liked the black bamboo, and scavenged a piece that lay on the ground. though not all plants in the greenhouse were actually for sale, as the more interesting specimens were those of the students.

we picked up some herbs, common thyme and purple basil. the chives, lavender, oregano, and mint of last year survived the temperate winter. herbs and orchids are about the only green things i can grow with any success, though dreams of a vast and colorful potted garden flit through my days.