new pieces just in time for the holidays

New 18k gold pieces are finally here!

They are from the Lani Collection, all petite and perfect to wear everyday.

The heart is going to be a christmas gift for my special someone in the family.  The eclipse, and the crescent with a diamond is something that I am eyeing on but can"t decide which one...

It's already December though. I've got to start thinking about presents for my family!

Thyme

We have been growing herbs in our little balcony and this little guy is our thyme.

I love how the leaves are so tiny and the shades of green are just right.

The other day I decided to sketch it and really see how it grows.

It was almost like when I was in elementary school where I had to draw the plants growth over summer break and note how the plant changes.

There two coming out, and then another come out from here, and that merges to here but this is connected to here.....

The sketching and note taking actually made a big difference. There is a pattern to the way plants grow, and I din't fully understand till now.

It is probably something that anyone who knows about gardening or growing plants knows, but it took a good long sketching time for me to realize. But I'm glad I made the time to do it.

It really made it feel that I need sketch more often.

In my art school days, I remember going out to different buildings and houses to sketch. We would measure with our eyes, and see if the height or the length has a patterns or repetition, how it was designed...

It would be fun and good to get in the habit of doing~

meteor shower

I heard the peak to see the meteor shower was sunday, but unfortunately I couldn't go anywhere to see it.

I remember years ago when everyone was talking about the meteor shower a few of us drove up the 5 freeway, away from the LA lights to see it.

That was really something!

Tonight was clear so I had to see if I can see at least the brighter shooting stars. I got my anti mosquito incense ready and watched for the meteors from my balcony.

I saw 2, which I guess it is good considering the condition I was in with all the city lights and street lights around me.

Maybe next year I could go to our usual camping place in the mountains around this time in August. Lay down on the streets and watch the stars the planets ( maybe it won't line up the same) and ooh.... I hope the moon is not up......

I will just have to try again tomorrow!

Great news! 

We are excited to share that ileava is going to open a store in Shibuya !

We are planning to open in September which is just a month away. 

we are in preparation mode, thinking about our store to look like this and to have that, and need to buy this and want to make that...

Time seems to be never enough.

But I cant wait for the moment I can post the photo of the completed store here~!

snowflakes

It has been a while since it last snowed in Tokyo. It is really colder in January and February here than it is in December.

But even if it snows all day, there are never snow on the asphalt, only on lawns and dirt. So there would never be enough to make a good snowman in this neihborhood!
I was thinking of making a very very small snowman, but thought that I needed to pull out my good gloves that I wear for skiing or snowboarding... and that wasn't going to happen today.

This was a card that I made. My dog making the snowman.

So, as I watched the snow fall today, while making waxes and new pieces, I was thinking of the new Kate Bush song Snowflake.

I wonder how many times it will snow this year~

almost valentine's day

a simple card would be a good start.