BRIGHT AHEAD

First off, thank you guys so much for your sweet words yesterday. My husband's family is doing well, actually, and they're grateful for the time we got to have with my grandmother-in-law.

While I was working on things today, I found this little lip pattern that I accidentally created while I was working on a project. It made me smile, and even though it was chucked out of my project, I didn't want to throw it all out...so here you go:

To add to the happiness, pineapples just had to be added as well.

It's looking bright ahead, don't you agree? :)

IN LOVING MEMORY

After a quick call from my husband during work, I found out that his grandmother (we know her as "Mimama" passed away last night. She was the sweetest soul, as was Grindad.

It's funny; I was thinking about her just this morning and wondering how she was. My husband told me there's no better place for her to be, and that's something to be joyful about.

I know I'll be reminded of her now during the prettiest parts of the year when she journeyed someplace greater than I could ever imagine.

For those of you that have lost a loved one, I hope you can also sense them around you and be joyful. xoxo

OFFICIALLY SUMMER

Whooo weee! It is OFFICIALLY the first day of summer on this pretty year of 2013!

Have any plans for the summer? When I was growing up, our family of four would travel by car to a chosen destination every summer--i.e. from Texas to Massachusetts, Texas to Rhode Island, you name it. We used to own a gigantic white Chevrolet suburban, which would bulldoze its way through the crowded streets in unfamiliar territory. I remember how strange I thought it was to see cities where trucks and suburbans definitely were not normal. You would have guffawed if you saw my dad expertly squeezing the tank loaded with himself and three chatty girls (my mom included in that count) into itty bitty parking spots.

We haven't been on family road trips in a while where we drive for three days straight to get somewhere, but for the first time, my Filipino side of the family is all going to Europe for my cousin's wedding! I can't waaaaait!! I'm going to try my best not to look like the ridiculous tourist I know that I am with all my might. We had to cut some cities out of our plans because I just don't think we'll have time to thoroughly enjoy them with the time constraints within two and a half weeks, but here's what's on our list:

1. London
2. Paris
3. Zurich
4. Rome

If you have recommendations about any of these places, PLEEEEASE let me know, okay? I will thank you profusely. Again and again.

On other news, gather 'round for today's art + story:

She rolled over on her back, her skin drinking in the UV rays that she had been told time and again by her fair-skinned friends would someday be the death of her. Remembering that thought, she turned over again like a hotcake in the oven, blindly swiping her hands under the lounge chair in search of the sunblock.

The cloudless day was quietly inching its way toward sunset. Excited at the thought of another brilliant show beginning in what she guessed would be six or seven minutes, she dragged her chair under the prickly palm trees in search of the prime viewing spot on the highest point of the hill.

At first shyly, the sun started dipping down into the horizon of calm waves. It gained confidence with its slow descent, however, and the burst of oranges, yellows, and pinks began to reflect on the water and dance on the trunks of the swaying trees.

With absolutely nothing on her usual crammed schedule for the remainder of these six glorious days, and completely unarmed with the habitual distraction—no iPad, no phone, no book—not even a magazine, she knew where she would be again tomorrow. Tonight was just for the two of them, the spectacular summer sunset and the awestruck girl. 

NICE & COOL

Even though summer has been classified as my absolute favorite, I can't help but cringe at the thought of how crazy humid and hot it's going to become. From the moment I switch on the TV in the morning and hear the meteorologists saying, "Well, look here. It's a beautiful 78 degrees right now at 7:15 AM, but we're going to see those clouds burn off by noontime," I'm reminded of this desert I live in. Why do they have to describe it as everything burning up?

Just say it'll slowly warm up...more...and more...and more. Ah, well. I'll either put my face in the bushes or set up shop under a big palm tree and take advantage of the shade successfully blocking 15% of the heat. Like this:

A friend of mine from college once described to me that satisfying feeling of getting into the warm car immediately after walking out of an air-conditioned place that's overly cold. But once, she got too comfortable in her lizard-like contentment and fell asleep in the smoldering car for about half an hour. Not a very comfortable awakening! Can you already guess that she always has amusing stories to tell?

Still...I can't wait for tomorrow, aka the official start of summer. :)

Have a great day! Be cool, yo. (THAT was not cool).

THE INNER CHILD

Yes. I'm that person that would rather just chug chocolate milk all day like the five year old child with two pigtails rather than be subjected to alcohol (minus the strawberry margaritas my husband makes and the occasional sip of red wine). Super exciting, huh? 

I've had friends try their very best to introduce me to drinks that I should adore, but it just never seems to stick. But...is it weird that beer looks so refreshing to me in the summers? Yet I hate it, you know. I'll just watch my husband enjoy his while taking baby sips from the glass bottle and quickly retracting and making weird faces.

I'll have one of these on any day during the hot summers, however. Nice and cold, mind you. 

We can just drink, dance, and sing to stuff like Florida Georgia Line during the unruly Texas summers. Chilled chocolate milk and country songs, I'm completely ready for you. 

What's your fancy drink of choice? Please don't tell me I'm the only one alone, here. 

DADDY

In honor of Father's Day (as late as I am), I thought of the perfect subject for another illustration: my dad circa 1980. :)

I couldn't be more grateful to have been raised by him and my mom. From what I hear, kids (even the ones that are supposed to count as grownups like me) can be quite the handful. ;) I love you, Daddy! I need to say that even more than I do now. That's the least of what you deserve.

Happy Late Father's Day to all you wonderful dads out there!

Hope you all had a great weekend. xo

WITHIN

Heeey, guess what? I have some new art and a story for you today! We haven't gathered for this in a while, have we?

It's high time, I believe.

“Happppy birrrrthdaaay to yooou!” They smile as they sing off-key and attempt to hit the high notes of the song we’ve heard every year, as the American traditions goes.  I survey the flickering candles, making a mental note to try and blow out all the yellow pops of warm light all at once. I puff out my cheeks like a blowfish, and with the help of other kids at the party, manage to blow out every single candle at once.

“What’d ya wish for??” they prod, knowing that they won’t get a straight answer from me anyway. I smile to myself, assured by superstitions that my wish will indeed come true.

It’s more like a cheating wish, really. An umbrella wish, if that’s what you’d rather call it. I’ve sheepishly been hording it to myself all these years, all the way into the beginnings of my late 20’s, safeguarding it deep within myself, lest it suddenly disappear the way the storms do when they unpromisingly rumble, drop down the smallest specks of rain, and then suddenly dissipate into the translucent sky.

Would you like to know what I’ve wished for, every year since I was a child before I would blow the dancing candles atop the frosted cakes out? Well, don’t act so excited. You might be a bit crestfallen by the perhaps uneventful answer.

Happiness.

Isn’t that such a cheat? I know that already, but I just can’t help myself every year. I want more and more of it…or at least a continuation of it. Charlotte was so right in Sex in the City when asked by her three best friends how often she was happy with her life. “Every day,” she answered the girls, as they stared at her in disbelief. “Well, I’m not happy all day every day…but I’m happy every day,” she explained.

On the days when I’m so erratic with my balance of life (hormotional, as my friend called it [hormones plus emotional equals hormotional]), and lose it to the point where I frantically run into the bedroom, hurl myself into the sheets of the bed, squash my face into the pillows and scream, I still have to admit that I experienced happiness at least at some point during the day, whether it was the dog creeping into the sheets to give me a comforting lick on my forearm, a stranger smiling at me in line at the store, the sunshine peeking through the blinds, or the hugs and kisses I already forgot I had received that day.

Yes, I think my ploy has been working all these 26 years. And yes, I do realize it’s not because of some stupid superstitious wish for it to somehow reveal itself in my life. It really is something to search for within.

Even still, you can probably guess what I’ll be wishing for when I blow out the candles this year, won’t you?

UPCOMING PROJECT

I'm super excited to be starting work on a logo design for a company that I won't just yet spill the beans about. As I get further into the design, you'll learn their name and what they're all about. :)

This company is light, airy, and natural, with a hint of drama. These pretty little snap dragons I had since last Thursday go hand-in-hand with inspiration for the project, among tons of other things. Unfortunately, I think it's time for my wilting flowers to say goodbye.

The dewey grass thriving from all the rain in our backyard inspires me too...

This isn't the logo yet (seeing as I'm just beginning the work on it), but the acronym "LOV" is the most I'll say about this business at this point. ;)

ON ITS WAY

It has been waaay too long since I've actually drawn something. The bug finally caught up to me, and I randomly started thinking about our camping trip and how sunburned we got. Fortunately, that sunburn is gone. Even still, I can't wait to fully dive into summer (which officially begins on June 21, by the way).

Texas has me fooled everyday, telling me that summer has been here since April. I'm typing this right now and peering out the window at the tree leaves whirling around in the wind against the blanket of dark gray clouds, anticipating another summer storm. Ahhh, time to open up the windows and curl up in bed with a good book. :)

Are you a summer lover like me?

SERIOUSLY.

Welp. That's all I can say.

We lost internet connection almost a week ago, and I've been a cave woman traveling to coffee shops on the prowl for a connection to get things done. That's a little over the top, isn't it? Just wanted to say, "Haaay! Hello! I'm alive." :)

My parents came into town and just let a couple of hours ago, and we enjoyed the skies around here.

These pretties are just hanging out in our front yard. Lovely little things.

Before my parents left, my mom retaught me for the 37th time how to thread a sewing machine, in hopes that her non-crafty daughter would take her lead and actually learn to be a part of this sewing business. Must make myself do this!

She also showed me how to cook delicious plantain bananas fried in little wrappers and dusted with powdered sugar to entertain my sweet tooth. Can't wait to create a post to show you the recipe! Perhaps that'll be in the works soon.

I hope you all have been enjoying the week! It's nice to be connected again. :)

BEACH CAMPING

...is something of the past for me, I have to say. We and two of our friends joked that at least we can say that we've spent an entire night camping on the beach.

The view was insane:

But unfortunately, so was the humidity, wind, and flying particles of sand.

We all left for Corpus Christi (only a two and a half drive away from San Antonio) crammed into a small Jetta Volkswagon armed with swim suits, fishing rods, a pop up tent, and a cooler full of food, happily envisioning the ease of camping on a beach for the first time.

After singing along to 90's stuff like the Backstreet Boys (my husband grudgingly allowed this to go on for an entire hour) and caving into urges for ice cream, we reached Mustang Island, complete with a pretty stretch of beach front and dunes.

Trying to beat the sunset, the men immediately got to work setting up the tent and rolling out sleeping bags, while I halfway helped in a wimp-like effort and roamed around.

After setting up the tent and its belongings, all four of us decided to check it out and lie down. We all stared at the top of the tent for a few minutes, felt the humidity turn our arms and legs into water sponges, and decided to quickly get out of the tent and try and build a fire.

Despite multiple efforts to get the fire going, the wind howling in our faces, and the decision to dig a pit so the fire would somehow survive, we managed to create the little-fire-that-could. It lasted for three hours, unbelievably!

When our small fire finally died out, we crawled gingerly back into the tent flapping in the wind and tried to sleep. I don't think I've experienced a sweatier/sandier sleep in my life. The guys claim to have stolen about half an hour to one hour of sleep that night, but the girls snagged probably around five. Lucky us?

We were all up at the crack of dawn, but even though we were like zombies sleepily stumbling around in the sand, the sights and sounds were beautiful.

See?

I didn't take any pictures while we played for hours in the waves (the BEST), but it made up for the less than comfortable night beforehand. I have to be sure and bring my childlike gear consisting of goggles and floaties the next time around!

We were supposed to stay for two nights, but with votes of 3 to 1, we decided that beach camping is for extreme outdoor lovers. We returned to San Antonio sunburned and tired a day early, but hey! I've gone camping on the beach!

Corpus Christi, we'll see you soon...but next time we'll enjoy you from the comfort of a cheap hotel.

So...did you go on any adventures over the weekend?? Do tell. :)