Before I start talking your ears (or in this case eyeballs) off incoherently, let me remind you that, there are these lil' loveable Valentine cardlettes available, for your use.
Still mushroom appropriate, ready to be printed, cut-out and shared with your pals ;)
As for today's tale...
I have said it before, and I will say it again... Valentine's day to me, is a do nice things for "myself" day. And, with the hearted once a year date looming, I suppose it is a safe topic.
Or is it?
Come down into my studio, and let's visit, on this snow filled cloudy day...
You know, I really don't think I know it "all." Just don't tell my ego that ;) No, but really, I don't know it all. The only thing I know every single thing about, left to right, top to bottom, is my life and my "quieros." (Quieros = wants & desires) And, even regarding them, I have been known to veer like the wind.
But what I share here with you is simply the way I see things, and what works for me. How I like to live my life...
Oh wait, don't forget to choose your tea cup... There are swiss rolls on the bottom shelf ;) You just can't see them... (weird cloudy day lighting)
On the topic of Valentine's day... I am not a person who likes to set anyone up, including myself, for outrageous expectations of what "someone else" is going to do to make my special day wonderful (this could go for any special occassion day)...
I was taught at a really young age, that the fulfillmet of my hearts contentment lives within me. You can't expect people to pluck the stars out of the sky for you. First of all, it isn't realistic, right? And, secondly, it is not fair to them, and ultimately not fair to you either. It is a lose lose situation. And, I don't know about you, but I ain't into feeling rotten...
So, on days like Valentine's Day, I like to bake, and watch movies, or shop... Or have a pedicure... I like to take myself to a movie, and antique shop or a wonderful antique books store... I like to take a little extra time, to show the girl in me, that I really do LOVE her... No stressing or fretting on that day ;)
Anything else that happens after that, is just gravy...
A little story -
The other day, it was 80'F and gorgeous out. Funny how 3 days later it is snowing, but that is Arizona for you. See, that is my excuse for being crazy. Crazy weather ;)
It was a magnificent sunset, I roamed barefoot. I coaxed Mister Lovee into the outside chaise, and serenaded him with bubbles and flowers... Exclaiming, as I stood high on a chair, for good bubble effect, that "THIS was the MOST Romantic day of HIS life..."
Mister Lovee made my year by saying "you are so cute, it's sick." Now, he said this while I was performing said antics, and had wild woman hair, and 2 layered vintage victorian gowns on...
To be frank, it looked more like I had just escaped an 1800's Asylum.
But then again, since Mister Lovee and I are on the same loon wave - I suppose it is all relative...
So, I put flowers in my and his hair... Yes he let me do this to him. He knows he has no choice but to play along. He just doesn't know I am going to report it back to you :)
(ps: Dog in background, does not require CPR)
Just as the sun was going down, I said "This is perfect weather for a chiminea and marshmallows." I recalled, that yes, I did happen to have a chiminea on our country house property, in the little yard attached to my gallery. So I ran over with my little green wagon thingie, and heaved it on (okay I had some help), and bolted back with it to the front garden...
Then, Mister Lovee states that, he is not helping me build a fire, he is not into this, and he is not going to be looking for twigs in the darkness. And I said, "I don't care, I don't need your help, and you aren't even invited to my chiminea party, Swooosh Hummmph!"
So, I take my green wagon, and head out in search of twigs. I even put on my teal leather gloves. I gathered 4 little piles of all sizes of wood.
I have to say. Mister Lovee's lack of interest, had no bearing on me at all.
I was humming along, tickled to be collecting twigs for my fire... When all of a sudden, as I am crouched down doing so, guess who appears.
The Lovee Troll. He wants in. HA! Is he insane?
But, since I am easy. I don't say a word. I just let him join in.
We quickly put it all together with fab team work. It was beautiful. And the fire was lit well before it was totally dark out...
The thing is, if he hadn't joined, it would not have ruined my parade. Because, I was having a ball, all by my little ole self...
A lit chiminea, is romantic all on its own... Me being there, is time to absorb the sparkly moment... And if someone wants to join me, well, that's just icing on the cake...
As I sat there, I thought. I should do more romantic things for myself. I could make any day, the most romantic day of my life, with so little effort...
Pooch, Mister, Me...
I think, Mister you know who, really did have the most romantic day of his life ;)
You know, in my late teens, while in college, I had this really bad break-up. I mean really bad. And, the only way for me to drag my heart and soul out of the trenches of love, was to find myself... (if you have been reading since day one you know some of this)
That is when art became my everything, more so than it already was. To the extent that my life path changed to incorporate it at every turn. During that healing time of heart pain, I painted giant scale abstract angels, and showed and sold them in a downtown art gallery... I also started gardening, and antiquing.
I learned very quickly, what I was made of. What made me tick. Up until then, I thought I needed other people in my life to fulfill it. So, I lived in fear of losing them, constantly. But that horrible time of "loss" (because that is what the pain of a break-up is to me), made me realize, I was on my way to a terrible life of pain and anguish if I didn't learn to take a deep breath and say, what do I like to do? What makes me happy? Who am I, standing alone?
Ever since then, I started loving myself and protecting myself in a whole new way...
That in itself is life changing.
I found a gift in that pain. And that year, on Valentine's day, I went out at bought myself some flowers. Something I had never done. I was 19 years old and truly, enjoying life, and me in it. It was wonderful. I have held on tight ever since then...
I have held on to all that inspires and tickles my heart... (not 19 below :)
When I came to the country house almost 9 years ago, it was a bit of beautiful chaos. Acreage full of little weird buildings (one that would be perfect for a gallery - which is not the same space I use as my studio)...
Then there were three weird additions attached to the main house.
One big room, in particular, was old, and had ceilings caving in, and was dark and bleak... It also had strange little nooks here and there...
Mister Lovee had a new ceiling and drywall put in for me in that big room... And those weird nooks, became dreamboats...
A sewing nook...
I think I love it here so much, because, I loved it with all its quirks, and made the best of what I had to work with... There is something about that, that creates an extra bond...
And for the last 9 years, in this space... It is always Valentine's Day to me.
A place to paint, where I have no clue why, but I adopted the door as my fave painting place... With sturdy screws at all different levels for painting on...
A perfect place to me, full of light, to create and fill with all the things I love...
And my second work bench, under a large skylight... Mister Lovee built me my work benches, and I just adooooore them.
Lovely closets to store beads and things...
I will be sequestered in my studio for the next few days, working feverishly on some projects...
But first, look what I had in a closet. The very first Valentine I ever gave the Mister, 9 years ago. Now the idea is, to tweak it a little, and re-gift it, just for fun... What do you think?
Oh Lil' Bunny is tugging on my sleeve... Reminding me to tell you that, a number was drawn for this little tin full of treasures...
And, my Valentine number drawn belongs to... Lovely Renee Kahn. Yipppeeee! E-mail me your addy, and your treasures, will find their way to you this week!!
I am off to flambé the heck out of s'more mushrooms over the stove. This is my new passion for the day... (I mean marshmallows -sans the alcohol part of flambé- eek, I think I have mushroom of the brain. That or I over did the shroom nog today)
Then, back to work for this lil' muffin head. I have elves and dolls and all sorts of goodness up my sleeve... I just have one project to mail out, and one set of wedding announcements with stickers to finish up, and the creatures will emerge... So, there is a wee hint for what is to come ;)
Into my happy little world I go... May it be free of worry and happy for many more moons to come, don't you think?
Before I go, I wanted to ask you. Have you had any life changing events, huge or small, that have redirected your life? How you treat yourself? Do you do nice things for yourself on your special days?? Are you working towards that??
Have you had the most romantic day of your life? Maybe you have and didn't even notice?
SO many questions...
I'd love to hear your thoughts...
♥, V
ps: Making your most Romantic day, doesn't have to include a significant other... As per googling Romantic, you should know... Romantic is - Of or pertaining to romance; hence, fanciful; marvelous; extravagant; unreal;
So, go do something extravagantly marvelous and fanciful and unreal!! Like, eat a giant cupcake in bed, in your frilliest nightgown, under fairy lights!! And don't feel guilty! (make sure you lick your fingers)
