Coloring Our World

Once upon a time... back to the days of childhood, there were colorless books of simple black and white images. These images inspired children everywhere to fill in the blank spaces with vivid and imaginative bright colors. These books were known everywhere as coloring books - a wonderful tool that parents and educators used to calm and quiet children all while encouraging artistry and imagination.

Back to the present day: almost every book store you visit now has some form of coloring books for adults. It is now widely known and accepted as a way to calm ones spirit and reduce stress. In essence, coloring isn't just for kids anymore. Publishers and artists everywhere have stepped up the game and have created everything from mandalas to fairy tale stories that require some coloration. These are more intricately designed books, which I am completely obsessed with.

Take the two beautiful gold-embossed coloring books I recently acquired:

The Time Garden by Daria Song and The Enchanted Forest by Johanna Basford

See how intricately designed these are? These will take some incredible focus and a steady hand... and because of how beautiful they are, you may want to invest in some higher quality coloring supplies - like creamy colored pencils or ink pens.

I love so much the embossing details on the covers - they remind me of old leather-bound books with gold embossed pages. So beautiful!

What kinds of things do to you do to alleviate stress?

A colorful and bright day to you,

I Didn't Know What to Say

This world is full of both wonderful and heartbreaking circumstances that wear us down daily. As a nation, we are mourning another tragedy where violence has torn apart communities and families - and for what purpose? We just don't know.
I didn't write on this yesterday because I didn't know what to say. I've read that it's the deadliest mass shooting in American history. I don't know what's more sad to me: that this deplorable act is something that I feel numb towards given the increasing numbers of shootings and tragedies we are seeing nationally, or the act itself: where some random person unbeknownst to even his own family made a decision that forever altered the lives of millions of people.
The biggest encouragement and consolation I can try to provide is to continue to shine the light into the darkest corners of the world. Whether you emit joy and love, peace or kindness, these are a few ways to impact the world in a positive way that anybody can gi…

Compassion

Months ago, I filmed a video about compassion and empathy. When I downloaded it to my computer, I didn't have the time or the drive to edit and upload it... until today. I re-watched the full 11:37 video and realized that my message was very clear and that it applies just as much to today as it did when I originally filmed it in November.
Compassion. It's something that many people lack - not on purpose, but out of convenience. Out of carelessness. Without a thought. People aren't bad because of it, rather unaware and lacking mindfulness of who is around them and how they may be feeling.
I wanted to share this video as a reminder for people to view other people as humans - as people just like themselves. To have empathy and compassion because you just do not know what another person is going through.

Lovingly yours,
Em

A Spring in My Steps

For those of you who have followed me for some time, you must know by now that one of my favorite spots here in Seattle is Green Lake. There's something so serene in walking the almost-three mile path around the lake - all while never even leaving the city. It's a short drive away and I find myself longing for a visit when I think only of its lush natural scenery and everything you could want in a park.
I went to Green Lake earlier in the day than normal and spotted these lovely little crocuses, reaching their aubergine-veined petals through the soil. I see them every year scattered about the city, but something about how they always reach for the sky makes them so relatable.
Starting my walk, I noticed the eerie sky and how white it was with overcast - there were crows cawing and screeching from all over, fields and branches full of birds. My assumption is that after all the earthworms were about and crows were swarming to get a shot at their evening meal.
Concluding my wa…

Bellezza di Vita

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