31 May 2012

Richard Patrick Light - In Memoriam 1942-2012


A Memorial service was held in Glen Park, in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California on July 31, 2012.

We had a paddle out to his favorite surf spot "suck-outs" at Cardiff Reef on August 1, 2012. 
August 2011 on the "TJ shuttle" with Rob A. 
‎"For what is it to die, but to stand in the sun and melt into the wind?
And when the earth has claimed our limbs, then shall we truly dance."

- Khalil Gibran


My father, Pat Light, went to his final rest in Mexico last week. He was a good hearted guy that loved surfing in warm waters. He was purple heart award veteran of the Viet Nam war. 
We always enjoyed spending time at the pool or the beach together. 
He was greatly loved and will be dearly missed.



Pat with Cousin Kim, this is his sister Susan's daughter. 

22 May 2012

"Hope is the anchor of the soul, the stimulus to action and the incentive to achievement."

You might infer from my given name Kristin Joy Light, that I am a positive and upward looking person. I was not born that way, nor was I was brought up to be that way. I learned how to find joy amidst life's sorrows. To realize that even on a gray day, the sun is shining above the clouds. Spring always follows winter. So if you have been enduring a very trying season, I want to encourage you to hold on. When you feel you can run no more, the finish line is nearer than ever. Here I present spring flowers from the gardens on Planet Joy. 

The flowers that appear in my garden each spring inspire hope! May you also be inspired!

Forsythia and daffodils
The very first flowers to appear are the violets, they blossom in late winter and did you know that if you steep the flowers in hot water you will enjoy a most delicate and delightful tea. Next winter, before spring arrives, pluck a handful and try, the scent and flavor from a half-dozen violet blossoms will transport you to a warm sunny disposition!
Hyacinth and daffodils 
Hyacinth was my maternal grandmother's favorite flower, that, and liatris, she favored purple, magenta, lilac colored flowers. Here is a magenta hyacinth with some early daffs in the woodland garden on Planet Joy.
Delicate pink clematis vine 
The landscape here on Planet Joy is a well established garden that was planted in the 50's when the house was built. I've been making some small additions, such as this lovely clematis that was a gift from a friend, this year I resisted the urge to prune it and it has rewarded my restraint with a glorious bounty of variegated pale pink flowers! Did you know that proceeds from the sale of all our pink scarves and jewellery benefits breast cancer research
Dicentra, commonly known as bleeding hearts
Another tender beauty, pink bleeding hearts. The colors feed my senses and inspire my silk painting, like the purple iris below,  you can see how it almost perfectly reflects the distressed hand painted silk boa on the bodice.
Misty Orchid Silk Boa 
Garden Photo Shoot during the Annular Eclipse 5/20/12
I am learning to be a better photographer, I try to shoot in natural light whenever possible, on Sunday, I thought I'd experiment in the unusual lighting conditions of the Annular Eclipse as it was viewable from my home. The light was a bit flat, but it was fun to try a new location and set up for the photo shoot.
Towering Clematis Vine 
Coral Geranium
I planted two coral geraniums in footed urns this year. 
I like to keep a pop of color handy to provide inspiration!
Iris in the bud

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” -Anaïs Nin

Iris blossoms 
Annular Eclipse Patio Photo Shoot
Dogwood Flower Crepe Poncho with Vintage Romance Silk flower headband 
Buddha nestled in clematis flowers
Spring inspired crepe poncho worn as a scarf
Roses, Dogwood and Peacock Feather Motif Poncho
Gorgeous Dogwood Silk Poncho
Idyllic Spring Garden Photo Shoot
I will leave you with one of my favorite poems by Hafiz, a beautiful mystic sufi poet from Persia 

It Felt Love

How
Did the rose
Ever open its heart

And give to this world
All its
Beauty?

It felt the encouragement of light
Against its
Being,

Otherwise,
We all remain

Too

Frightened.

Please visit our online store at Etsy and if you are shopping - take advantage of saving 15% on your next purchase with the coupon code ETSYXO specified at checkout! It's my pleasure to create custom designs, so if you don't see the colors you are seeking, do not hesitate to inquire!




15 May 2012

You decide! Is it a scarf, a necklace, a belt, or a headband?

If you've been following this blog, you may know that I've been experimenting with daylight for my product photography recently. The photos in this post were shot indoors through filtered light of the setting sun. I moved the photo booth all around the living room to capture the fading light on my newest collection of Limited Edition Scarflettes.  
Coral Scarflette
This soft feminine coral colored scarflette is 22 inches square with a pink tinted semi precious cabochon charm suspended from a silver-tone chain and a lobster claw clasp. Top photo shows the scarf unfurled and worn forward, like a cowl. Second photo (below) shows it with a soft knot and worn doubled around the neck.
This lovely light green "peridot" scarflette is on trend for spring and summer's saturated pastel palette! Cheerful with bits of turquoise and lemon yellow, this will be a perfect go-to accessory when you are wearing white, try it around your waist with a white or other solid color summer dress or shirt dress! Note the gorgeous faceted blue bead suspended from antiqued brass chain.
Peridot Scarflette
The next scarflette may or may not technically be oxblood red, but it is close enough, this gorgeous deep red color was achieved by a shibori dye process called arashi shibori. I folded and wrapped the silk around a tube and saturated it with color. Arashi means rain, and refers to the myriad effects that are achieved with this traditional Japanese "tie-dye" technique. The reference to rain in all it's ways of falling, drizzle to downpour. The effect is quite subtle in this particular piece! A clear quartz crystal is suspended from the silver-tone chain.
ox·blood red  (ksbld)
n.
A dark or deep red to medium reddish brown.
Below is my favorite from the collection, clearly it is not in the saturated pastel range I've been working in recently. This striking scarf is black and silver with some color towards the center and a beautiful gold mandala is outlined over the entire scarflette. The silver tone chain has a lobster claw clasp and a beautiful semi-precious stone charm is clear with a few hints of color shot through.
 Here is a sweet peridot silk flower. I dyed the jacquard silk in a soft array of pastel greens, then sewed the silk flower and attached it to vintage lattice trim that I laced with a rich brown vintage rayon bias ribbon. Very elegant, may be worn at the neck or as a headband, as the chain allows for adjustability.
 Another vintage beauty, this pretty black and gold acrylic flower comes from a necklace given to me by a friend, the gunmetal chain has a vintage mother of pearl bead charm, and the vintage lattice trim is laced with gorgeous taupe rayon bias ribbon. Truly one of a kind and stunning - again, this is adjustable and may be worn in your hair or around your neck. Little girls can wear it as a belt!
 Here's the 22" scarflette worn in an entirely different style - wrapped twice at the neck, and let to dangle dramatically, this abalone colored silk features a gorgeous vintage gold tone double link chain and a very pretty gold tone leaf charm. The longer chain on this particular scarflette makes it very wearable as a belt too!
 Close up of the chain and leaf charm. The scarflette is styled with a soft knot and the chain is secured so the leaf charm drops over the knot, your imagination dictates how you will wear it, in your hair, around your neck or wrist, or as a belt. Try it on for size - there are a few in my Etsy shop now, and I'll be listing these as soon as I can.

 Soft sky blue permeates this next scarflette below, a silver toned chain secures it with a clear quartz crystal. Shown as a cowl below.
You can see the versatility as it is left long in the photo below.
 And finally unfurled as a soft cowl towards the front. This one is also long enough to wear as a belt too.

Please visit our online store at Etsy and if you are shopping - take advantage of saving 15% on your next purchase with the coupon code ETSYXO specified at checkout! It's our pleasure to create custom work, so if you don't see the colors you are seeking, please inquire!

10 May 2012

Certified Sustainable Joy Hand Painted Silk

All our scarves, shawls and wraps are painted individually, by-hand in our studio in Ashland Oregon. It's our goal to create beautiful one of a kind art to wear fashion accessories that you will love to wear because you feel beautiful when you wear them! 
We have been creating our 2012 Spring Summer Collection of saturated pastels and spring flower and peacock feather motif shawls and ponchos. The featured shawls in todays blog are a sumptuous blend of silk and rayon jacquard, the weave of these 20x80 inch shawls is rich in texture with the pattern woven in much like an indian silk rug pattern. Each shawl has been individually dyed by hand in a saturated pastel hue. This rich woven shawl would make a great wrap for a spring or summer wedding for the brides maids to wear in the ceremony and these would also make great gifts for the wedding party as well.
Coral Silk and Rayon Jacquard Shawl

Silvery Dove Grey Jacquard Shawl

2012 S/S Jacquard Shawl Collection

Lilac Jacquard Hand Dyed Shawl 

Peacock Feather Motif Satin Trimmed Chiffon Shawl 
This delicate peacock feather is painted by hand in a pastel range of colors with metallic feather highlights. No two are alike, each is a one-of-a-kind wearable art piece.
Petal Pink Jacquard Shawl

Robin's Egg Blue Jacquard Shawl
Our Sustainability Pledge is stated on the card below. We pledge to create the smallest possible carbon footprint with our small production, seasonal collections. The quality is high because production is small and individually created. Our clients love our products for the way the feel and the way they fit, sustainability is an added bonus!

Take advantage of saving with our discount codes and coupons:
When shopping in our Etsy store save 15% storewide when you specify ETSYXO during checkout.
Save 25% on all colors and styles at www.Joysilk.com when you specify FACEBOOK during checkout.

Thank you for your patronage, let us know if you want a custom order or to have your purchase personalized - we would love to make your day with a special order!


 
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