HELLO!!! :)

Hello, everyone!

Well, I know that I have just kind of dropped off the map all of a sudden. My life just got really busy and really crazy. I just wanted to make a post and reach out and say  ‘ hello ‘ to everyone that has continued to pop in over here the past few months.

So, what happened? Are you curious? 

Change. Change has been the name of the game these past few months.

Well, first of all , all  of a sudden in July my father just gave me the family business. He doesn’t want to do it any more. And, since that is how I make my money, I have taken it over completely, even though it was never anything that I actually wanted to do. So, as you can imagine, I had my hands full with chaos in general. It is never easy owning a business, especially when you have emotional ties with family, so that has just been…..overwhelming – that’s probably the nicest way to put it. 

There is so much going on with that that it has really changed alot of my plans, so secondly, I have decided to stop building my other web page. I just am not up to dealing with all of that and I’m not the most tech- oriented person anyway. Oh , well.

There is much much more, but I’m sure you get the point.  Things have been busy.

I hope everything has been going well for all of you.

 

Well, this is iLusciousLife, so here is a little list of things that I have been loving recently.

Nora Jones’s new song Chasing Pirates.

Michael Buble’s New song I Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

Benjamin Sharkey is a singer on You Tube that I found the other night. Check him out. Very, very talented.

The movie The Proposal with Sandra Bullock -  I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but it is very funny.

Tonight I watched So You Think You Can Dance and the couple that danced to Two Steps Away from Pattie LaBelle were just absolutely amazing. I love dancing so much! Dancing or watching it is so wonderful.

I love my new candle from Restoration Hardware, it’s pomegranite scented and it’s lovely. Ooo, on my next year list I think I’m going to add a big leather couch from Restoration Hardware – that’s a nice wish, right?

I just bought a sample of perfume from Lucky Scent that I’m really excited about. It’s called Madera. It is supposed to smell like a fine caramel – I will let you know how delicious it is  for anyone who who wants to smell like dessert. :) Which is one of my favorite ways to smell.

Well, I guess that’s enough for now. Thanks, for your continued support and interest in my blog. I hope everything is going well for all of you. Feel free to share any thoughts on….. all of the above. As always,  I’d love to hear you ideas.

Love ,

Arielle81

xoxoxoxo

Quote of the Day….

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

                                                          - Dr. Seuss

 

Aww… That is so sweet.

Who knew that Dr. Seuss was such a romantic?

So, anyone keeping you up all night? 

Chocolate + Love = Chocolove

Much like the ancient Aztec, the Swiss, and lovers on Valentine’s Day I love chocolate. 

Lots of it.

Chocolate truffles, chocolate milk, fudge, chilled chocolate layered cake, etc., etc.

Recently I came across chocolate bars  from  a chocolate company based out of Boulder, CO. called Chocolove who like to keep things interesting. They have have twelve different varieties but, one in particular caught my eye. Ginger Crystalized in Dark Chocolate. Intriguing. I picked up the bar wrapped in green paper designed to have a the look of a well traveled passport with stamps and seals and chunky, inky typed letters written across it, wondering how the ginger would work with the cocoa.

Once at home I broke off a dark square and tried it. Amazingly enough the ginger was not over powering but was actually a fun and spicey depth of flavor that was so natural I’m surprized more people don’t use the combination. Almost like eating a holiday ginger snap cookie that was perfectly blended in the creamy chocolate. Very, very nice. It was a fun exotic treat.

Apparently the cryastalized ginger is from Australia and the dark chocolate was made in Belgium from cocoa beans grown in the Caribbean and Africa which was then all combined in Colorado – it was a world endeavour to bring these delicious bars into our lives. It also explains all the stamps and seals.

As I’m sure you probably know by now chocolate contains phenylethylamine a feel-good love chemical that our bodies produce. That is probably why love and chocolate walk hand in hand through history and has pretty much been a favorite in every culture it has been introduced to. Chocolove decided to go one step further and include a love poem that is written inside each wrapper  – So  don’t just toss it in a rush of craving, take your time and enjoy a lovey-dovey poem just for you.

Here is mine:

 

From: Venus and Adonis

Venus:   ‘ Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie;

                    These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me;

                    Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky,

                  From morn till night, even where I list to sport me:

                         Is love so light , sweet boy, and may it be

                         That thou shouldst think it heavy unto thee?

 

                ‘ Is thine own heart to thine own face affected?

                 Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?

                 Then woo thyself,  be of thyself rejected,

                 Steal thine own freedom, and complain of theft…

 

                ‘ Torches are made to light, jewels to wear,

                  Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use,

                  Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear;

                 Things growing to themselves are growth’s abuse:

                      Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty;

                      Thou wast begot; to get it is thy duty

 

William Shakespeare

 

Wrapping chocolate in Shakespeare is a bit of poetry in itself, don’t you think?

So, have you tried any of Chocolove’s chocolate? Read any of their love poems? Or had any other beautiful chocolate experience?  As always I’d LOVE to know.

Yours Truely,

xoxoxo

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

I LOVE YOU DAD.

Quote of The Day…….

Before you were conceived

I wanted you.

 

Before you were Born

I loved you.

 

Before you were here an hour

I would die for you.

 

This is the miracle of life.

 

                                                                                       – Maureen Hawkins

 

 

Absolutely beautiful.

 

xoxoxo

Baby Shower…..Thank You

The first time I heard this poem I was at a lovely baby shower thrown by my Aunt’s mother-in-law for her other daughter-in-law. Her son had married a wonderful woman from Slovenia, where he lived. On their annual trip to visit their family they were able to have a baby shower with everyone.

It was a beautiful August day and they had pitched a big white tent in the back yard filled with tables, chairs, a banquet table, and an ever increasing mound of gifts. Bags, wrapping paper, tissue paper, and greeting cards all crammed onto one little table creating a pastle Everest.

After the mingling, the children running around, sampling from the buffet, and sharing baby stories it was time to open the gifts. Before it began the mother- in-law, Mrs.M, read this lovely poem to all the friends and family for her new grandchild.

 

THE BABY SHOWER THANK YOU

I’m sorry I can’t be there  with you,

But I’m very busy you see,

Painting my eyes, my cheeks, my hair,

So mother will be proud of me.

 

I’m sending this little message,

to convey to you this thought,

The Stork will soon have left me,

To use the gifts you brought.

 

Be sure to come and see me,

As soon as I get here.

Just give mother time,

To dress me ever so dear.

 

And so I Thank You from my heart

for each lovely gift for me.

For when the Stork leaves me with mother

I’ll not be dresses you see.

Little Baby ( your baby’s name here )

 

Super cute , right?

Everyone loved it.

A  few months later Little Baby Carolina came to thank everyone in person.

 

So, if you have a little one on the way or are hosting a baby shower for a special mother-to -be in your life this would be a great shower gift printed out and rolled up like a scroll, tied with a ribbon or use your creativity and personalize it.

I hope you enjoy it.

Do you have any baby shower ideas you would like to share?

Please, do.

 

xoxoxo

 

A Peanut Butter and Jelly Kind of Love

I’m looking for a witness to love.

 

Recently I’ve been thinking  quite a bit about love. Because of a few different reasons like;making a blog where love is a cornerstone to the whole point of it, recent events with my family, other blogs I’ve read, my personal life, etc. You know,when you are young it is so easy (I love that about kids ) love , right , wrong. Things are very easily black and white. Love is love and you don’t question it. How lovely. Yet as time passes it seems that these ideals become muddied. Everyone has their own take on the subject. I actually read a blog where someone was debating that love was the most selfish of all emotions. I honestly had never heard such a thing. Isn’t love supposed to be a selfless thing? Apparently, not for everyone.

Love is the perfect most interesting subject. The conversation is both pure and sticky and it is relevant to everyone. Some people like to take a delicate approach while others like to railroad it.

Remember back in kindergarten when you had two choices about love? One you could ignor and make fun of the object of your affection, or two, you could share your crayons and peanut butter and jelly sandwich with them while gazing at them planing your wedding. Aahh, the good old days.

I’m more of a peanut butter and jelly kind of girl.

And when you were young you couldn’t wait to grow up so you could really have that true love, weddings and happily ever after’s. And you had no idea what was about to happen. That time was going to take something so simple and turn it into the biggest cunnundrum of your life. You would never believe that love was about to get ” complicated “.

 Which is a total shame , by the way. But,it is what it is and so we march on.

Looking at all this I’ve been wondering , what do I want my love to be like? There are so many kinds. So, I was thinking about the different people in my past and looking at what their love stories have been like. I’ll spare you the details and just say that I’ve decided to go in a different direction. Exactly what direction I don’t know.

Then I thougt about movies, the ever present chick flicks, (I know , I’m sorry guys, but, I like to watch them    ),love, romance, and for me with a dose of comedy. These shows are so popular. People love to watch these impractical stories where  crazy things happen and two people get shoved together or romantically persue each other and fall in love. Kissing. Music. The End. And everyone files out of the theater. I am wondering if these shows bring in so many people because we by nature are looking for a witness to love. We want to witness what we know existes.The way it was when we were in kindergarten. Love.Un-complicated.

It seems to be an inalienable truth, programed into the very core of our being. So, how did we manage as a species to mess it up? I think in part by doing this,questioning something infuses the situation with doubt. Doubt leads to fear and when we’re scared nothing makes sense. I keep thinking that  the Heavenly Father loves us, he gave us love. So, he must have given us a clue as to what to do. And I remember that in the Bible it sayes to have faith like a child.  Maybe we should have love like a child.  Love someone because we love them for no other reason, because it is. No seeking validation. No seeking reciprocation.  Love because we do. Because they are wonderful and we know it. Because their presence gives us joy.  It is love because it is love. A peanut butter and jelly kind of love. 

So, what do you think? What kind of love are you looking for or have already found? Is is peanut butter and jelly? Sweet and fulfilling. A juice box? Sweet and gone in 60 seconds. Rocky road ice cream? Which, speaks for itself.

 

 

P.S. Here are a few of my favorite love story/ chick flicks.

Love Actually  ( I like the different layers of love they wove into one story)

The Truth About Cats and Dogs ( A little crazy)

Pride and Prejudice ( I loved the book so, I had to watch the movie)

 

What’s with me and Pockets???

 

              SCRAP                   

Someday, when the page no longer begs for my ink, when I can sit in front of the TV and actually understand what’s going on with all those explosions and visual effects, when my arms are contented squeezing a simple, soft pillow, and when my mornings are finally as predictable as a cliche first sentence in an amateur essay, jealousy will die. By then, I may remember a thing or two when my vision lands upon a familiar book on a bored Saturday stroll in the mall. A thin scent of something like coffee or mocha may make my nose sniff uncontrollably. People would be talking about important stuff but my ears may hear faint laughter or “oohs” and “aahs.” Perhaps I’d be too tired then since I’d have too many Saturday strolls and too many TV marathons. So what I’d do is just find the nearest bench from where my weak feet are planted on, and I’d sit there, breathe deeply, put my hands in my pockets and let my fingers feel the scraps of the other day. I may pull out an emotionally crumpled piece of paper and a cheap, greasy pen and start writing something. The first sentence would be a complaint about the music of the times and the second sentence would be a glorification of yesterday’s food. The third would be an apology for another mediocre blog entry on the Internet. The fourth would be about the futility of plans and the constant vacuum of the past. The fifth would be about some old room in an aged building that seems to have plans to stand eternally. And at that point, I’d have no choice, but not to finish writing or whatever I am doing, breathing perhaps and sitting, because at that point, I’d have no choice but to think about you.

 

This was brought to you by the generosity of:

http://moonwalkerwiz.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/scrap/

 

O.K. I know I keep making posts that have something to do with pockets. I realized this as I was puting this up. First the Chelsea Walls poem, then the origami Love Letters, and now this poem Scrap. So, I guess I have just made a personal epiphany that pockets seem to hold some symbolic meaning for me. Maybe a  poetic, dreamy-eyed idea of somewhere to keep something of importance close to you; somewhere in the spur of the moment you tuck a piece of paper, coins, maybe a trinket, a matchbook with an uncalled phone number, thinking that you want to keep it for whatever reason. Time passes, as it always does, one day you look out your window and see stormy, sooty skies, it’s going to be a real down pour. So, you grab your  jacket, crumpled by the door  and swing it on as you step out into the first bloppy drops of rain and brace yourself against the wind, shoving your hands deep into your pockets and touch something. You work the angles in your fingers, pull it out and, boom, you’re transported back to that place, a cocktail lounge, an airport baggage carousel, the old movie theater before it was torn down, and you see those big chocolate eyes, smell the lingering scent of  a cigarette long crushed under someones heel and then you remember why you shoved it into your pocket. Where it has been. Waiting. Caught between sheets of material. A piece of your forgotten past…. in a pocket.

I know, my imagination gets carried away. 

Anyway,… I may put up yet another post with a pocket theme, who knows, but, I hope you will indulge my fantasy. Until then, check out the link. He has an interesting way of writing that I enjoy ( you don’t even know it was a love poem until the very last line – nice touch ). A little refreshing way of writing from the everyday stuff about everyday stuff …and love , of course, or it wouldn’t be here.  I hope you enjoy it, too.

  So, am I the only one with a poetic pocket fantasy – I know that sounds absurd    -   or do you have one, too? You know I’d love to hear it.

 

xoxoxo

Love letters

The other day I was thinking of bits of whimsical ideas things like red balloons, love letters,paper laterns ( I love lanterns ) and paper hearts. I think that the phrase, paper heart, is intriguing.  I checked it out and couldn’t really find a specific definition  but, I think it is used in reference to some one with fragile emotions. ( Do you know what it means exactly?)Also, there is a movie from the Sundance Film Festival this year with that title,  and it’s the title to a song by the All American Rejects; I have not watched the film’s trailer or listened to the song yet but, I’m going to.

Anyway, paper hearts, they seem a bit sad to other people yet I think it sounds, well, whimsical. A little poetic. Inspiring. More in a literal sence for me. The idea of a love letter meets origami is so super cute and lovely. Puppy love perfect. 

So, here is a link to an origami site for you to learn how to fold a quick origami heart.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Origami-Heart

Just a little gift of a hand made heart is cute. Step it up a bit and write a little love note an the paper you’re going to use before you start folding, maybe scent it with your favorite perfume…there are lots of really great additions you can make to specialize your heart and get a really lovey-dovey ‘awww’ moment.

For those of you experiencing a little writer’s block I’ve included a  poem, enjoy!

 

PAPER HEARTS

Angels didn’t see fit to leave our hearts on Earth

They were too easily bruised, too easily hurt.

So, they stored them up above

and sent us down intangible love.

But, how to give this to you?

I just don’t know.

It’s intangible.

You can’t tie it with a bow.

So, I’ve found this sheet of paper and on it I wrote.

Thinking only of you I made the bends  and the folds.

Carefully, smoothly, and just so, and put all my love inside and made a heart you could hold.

Take it carefully, paper has been known to tear, and tuck it into your pocket and always keep it there so, that you’ll know that you’re loved whenever you leave and wherever you go.

Paper hearts can bend and fold  and the ink may fade in time but, please, remember that what’s inside is more than a sweet valentine. It’s a love and a heart, now yours, that once were mine.

 

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

 

xoxoxo

Quote of the Day….

” Blow wind to where my loved one is,

touch her and come and touch me soon.

I’ll feel her gentle touch through you

and meet her beauty in the moon.

These things are much for one who loves -

A man can live by them alone.

 

                                                      -Ramayana

 

O.K. this is actually a poem, not a quote. Oh, well. It’s totally beautiful so, of course, I had to share.

This is for anyone out there can’t be with their loved one this weekend.

Go outside and feel the wind.

 

xoxoxo