Joanna Pallaris

Some incredibly haunting and rather diaphanous photography by Joanna Pallaris. I wish I could have been able to visit this exhibit (London 2010) sooo badly. She shot all of these photographs in one day at a crumbling sanctuary in Hampshire, distinctively collecting a narrative that chillingly yet delicately unfolds before our eyes. The story is beautiful. Nature, the omnipresent and self-serving spirit that draws our eye between the intimate atmospheres and the devastating, if not wildly beautiful, light in which all succumbs and deteriorates to one way or another. Oh, and she shoots in Polaroid...enough said. I'm in love*

I'm so happy that you posted this Alexa!

Dreamy Wallpaper

Dreamy, nature-inspired wallpaper from Trove. Pretty jolie, n'est pas? These would be perfect backdrops for an ethereal photoshoot...

Pressed Flowers

I've been using some of my pressed petals lately and I really love it. It's a delicate craft in nature due to the fragility of the petals, but they are so worth the time it takes to press and later use. I'm still playing around with which adhesive works best. It's also rather wonderful how the shape of certain petals can suggest another creature or forms.

Hope you're having a lovely week so far*

1.) It started off with a beautiful palette

2.) We made a syrup with sugar and water and brought it to a boil & dropped the flowers in

3.) After coating our flowers and herbs with the syrup, we used a toothpick to lay them out as flat as possible (requires patience)

4.) Awww bummer, not as pretty or as candied as we wanted them to be :(

A while back, my dear friend and I decided to try and candy some edible flowers and herbs. We had a little book to guide us and yet we didn't get the end results we wanted. Do you think we should have used a candy thermometer? I was skeptical to include the last photo because it certainly doesn't look very appetizing, does it?! Gonna have to try this one again...

Whimsical little arrangements with scabiosas, scabiosa pods, snow-on-the-mountain, maple and eucalyptus.

Biodynamic Farming!

Do you know about biodynamic farming? While visiting the Ehlers Estate Organic Vineyard in Napa this week, Elijah and I learned all about this old-tried-and-true holistic and chemical-free farming method. It is fascinating and wonderful and cosmic! It originates from the work of Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolph Steiner, and is a hands-on approach where the land is treated as a complete living organism in order to achieve greater produce. Naturally healthier and happier, the land bears happier and healthier fruits and vegetables! The basic philosophy is this: leave the land in better shape then when you found it. It's such a grand yet simple idea. Here are some of it's strict criteria*:

-reading the language of nature through careful observation
-avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides (hello lady bugs!)
-taking into account cosmic rhythms when planning vineyard activity
-using biodynamic preparations as medicines for the Earth
-employing concepts from the self-sustaining farm model, i.e. composting, attracting beneficial fauna, etc.
-nourishing the soil as a living organism

I love this concept of taking care of what takes care of you. Doesn't it make perfect sense in general? When speaking with the staff they also mentioned burying cow horns in specific energy hot spots throughout the vineyards and using herbs such as nettle and lavender to make "compost teas" for the land! Isn't that just so wonderful? And following the lunar cycle when it comes to crop picking and never taking from the vines on a full moon. It was soooooo fascinating and inspiring to hear about. It takes organic farming to the next level. They had the best tasting wine too! We could feel the good vibes and energy flowing there. If you go to Napa, and I certainly hope that you do, go and visit the Ehlers Vineyard and see/feel for yourself!

Ehlers Estate Vineyard, we tip our hats to you! Thank you!

*Above pictures and facts taken from the Ehlers Estate Organic Vineyard website ;)