vendredi 29 juillet 2011

The Moon At The Window

Hello Lovelies,


Wow, that was a short vacation, indeed! I never quite made it to Paris. And guess why? My handbag was stolen from me the day I was supposed to leave! Phew!

My bag was found by a kind man the next day (today) and was handed to me by the local police, so all's well. I'm quite glad I didn't sweat too much. Instead, I remembered the poem:

The thief has stolen everything from me
except
the moon hanging at my window.

This poem (my own translation from French, see official translation below) has been written by a Zen monk a long time ago (maybe it's Ryōkan, not sure, will have to check) and I'm glad my love for Japan and anything Zen helped me stand in front of adversity. After all, it was just a bad day, I had, not a bad life!

So the good news is I get to stay and hang around here, I go on creating and painting (every day these past few weeks!) and my etsy shop remains open. You're welcome to just go in!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

PS: more about the wonderful Ryōkan, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"One evening a thief visited Ryōkan's hut at the base of the mountain only to discover there was nothing to steal. Ryōkan returned and caught him. "You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty-handed. Please take my clothes as a gift." The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away. Ryōkan sat naked, watching the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, "I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon." This story may be an interpretation of an account mentioned by Ryōkan in a haiku:
The thief
Left it behind-
The moon at the window."

jeudi 28 juillet 2011

A Short Vacation

Hello Lovelies,

 image via jjjjound.com

I'm taking a few days off the blog, for a little summer vacation. See you soon, in about a week...

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

vendredi 22 juillet 2011

Exciting Week & Already Friday!

Hello Lovelies!

 new oil painting, inspired by the art of Angie Lewin. Lipson (c) 2011.

...this has been an amazing week for me!

new mixed media drawing, inspired by the art of Heather smith Jones. Lipson (c) 2011.

the Heather Smith Jones book about watercolor i just received in the mail (and mentioned here yesterday) is great and very inspiring! I have drawn up to four drawings for my shop today, inspired by its techniques.

 new mixed media drawing, inspired by the art of Heather smith Jones. Lipson (c) 2011.

Now I just need to scan these new watercolor drawings and photograph them well before they go up in my etsy shop... More on that Monday!

in the meantime, let's enjoy a few of my flickr faves, shall we? and have a swell week-end!



do not forget to click and visit the original photographs, they're stunning!

Have a relaxing time this week-end, enjoy your summer,

-Vic from TeaButterfly

jeudi 21 juillet 2011

Things Floating Around My mind

Wow!

quote in the handwriting of Keri Smith

This week barely started and it's already been so inspirational! Thank  you, blogosphere! And I specifically mean you, you you you and you.

There have been a lot of things floating around my mind lately. So here goes:

Things I've Painted Recently


Here's my friend Christophe standing in front of rows of oil paintings.
The blue butterfly is by me.

Blue Butterfly II - by Lipson (c) 2011

Another blue butterfly, I have started painting awhile ago:

Blue Butterfly I - by Lipson (c) 2011



Things I Got For Myself

the water paper paint book


green dangling earrings by Rachel Unger Jewelry



a black skirt with brown beige and white polka dots
a geometric dress for fall


Things I'd Like to Have Soon



Any book by Keri Smith, esp. "How to be an explorer of the world".
This perfume, because of its name... "Iris de nuit"... dreamy!


Things That Inspire Me

Jane's Flanagan's blog, "ill seen ill said", for her wonderful, heartfelt description of summer feelings, the color green and the shade of trees.
This article about bubble painting.
These birds from the Liebe shop via Traveling Mama:


and just like Amy Krouse I "love to make things"...

so I'll sum up by just quoting the following:



Have a great week, everyone!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

lundi 18 juillet 2011

Summer Dreams

Hello Lovelies!

...and happy Monday to y'all!




Despite the heavy heat going on here in the South of France, I've been living life to the full lately and so neglected this blog a bit, sorry. Now here's what i've been up to (i like to kiss and tell). 'Cause, yes, I've been kissing and quite a lot!
I've fallen in love! First I tried boy no1 then boy no2 but they wouldn't do. Then out of a sudden, i met IRL an on-line friend i've been corresponding with for over a year! instant mutual click, it was.

And so i've been daydreaming about moving back to Paris because that's where I'm from and also where he lives and about decorating our new place because I love home decor and i dream of the place we will live in together. he's a man, so this has revived my love for masculine flair and he is from Togo, West Africa, so I thought of adding some African highlights to an otherwise, modern, sleek and clean home.



African chic style - As'art galerie

If you follow my pinterest (i have won the hearts of over 20 45 followers within a very short time - all total strangers to me), you also know i will add a touch of orange, an old love of mine, to that dark, masculine african wenge wood. it will make everything just bright and chic!


I've also been needing to redecorate/reorganize my home office for some time now. I love contemporary art, as you well know (so sad about Cy Twombly's recent death).

decorating with tape: source unknown.

So everything will be clean, tidy and counter-balanced by a crazy, colorful piece of art by Yellena, just like this:



Our bedroom will be very tranquil, peaceful and understated in a "greige", or "perfect grey" spirit. Just white linens, soft grey accents and a comfy bed. The bare essentials.


bedroom image via decorology

The bathroom will also be very plain/bare in white and lightest grey possible. What i call "Belgian gray", because of the likes of Vincent van Druysen and other great Belgian architects. See more Belgian gray interiors here.

source unknown, maybe the jjjjound.com blog

It will have soft turkish cotton towels (the best quality!) and a few streamlined bottles of organic (since 1983!) French cosmetics by Centifolia-bio.



For a similar look and quality, try the organic products of John Masters' in the US. 


Lately, i find myself more and more drawn to simplicity and the bare essentials. I have categorized them by season on pinterest, and now have a Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring Essentials inspiration boards. The main reason for that is to not face harsh winter or very hot summer days unprepared.

"al fresco in the valley"

My secret for winning over any winter blah? Ginger!

 excerpt from the "3191" magazine.

Yes, ginger, be it the root dipped in hot water and then slowly sipped or wonderful, deluxe scented ginger souffle by Origins. Since the latter is a bit difficult to find in France, it will be replaced in my all-white bathroom by the "gingembre" rich moisturizing cream by Roger & Gallet.

 

I find very hot, dry summer days difficult to bear sometimes so i turn to citrusy, zesty, light scents and drinks! rosemary lemonade is a must, and i use guess what the organic citrus weleda deodorant as a light cologne. it's very cheap for a great summer scent!

Want to know more? Follow me on pinterest! What's your current summer obsessions? Pray tell!


-Vic from TeaButterfly.

dimanche 3 juillet 2011

Twelve New Doodles

Hello Lovelies!

photo and doodle by me, Vic of TeaButterfly. (c) 2011.

To Americans, tomorrow is the Fourth of July, or the American Independance Day... Here in France we celebrate the beginning of the summer holidays, or "grandes vacances"!

I thought it would be timely to publish here some new doodles from last May and June, before I head to the countryside and draw some more! Here are a few doodles, you can see the whole set at my flickr set called "TeaButterfly, Doodle of the Day"!

Here is my set for the all bunch of doodles, an open dictionary, a small found vase, and a succulent:

photo by me, Vic of TeaButterfly. (c) 2011.



Enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

vendredi 1 juillet 2011

Oh, and Happy, Happy Friday!


Print above by Sarah Marshall at Etsy - via the design+sponge blog

Hello Lovelies!

After working hard this past week, at my day-job that is, I am now enjoying the sun, a friend's swimming pool and happy French appetizers! July is among us and a fierce wind is blowing here in the South of France.


Have a sparkling lil weekend, my dears!


-Vic from TeaButterfly.